Safe Haven 3: Hidden Truths
by Empress Tansy
Summary: Swallowpaw is eagerly waiting to become a warrior, her crush on Newtpaw all but forgotten. Streampaw continues to excel as Jayfeather's apprentice, impressing all who know her. When a mysterious tom begins visiting their dreams, however, their world is turned upside down and it is impossible to know who they can trust. Should they listen to the tom? Or will he only tell them lies?
1. Chapter 1

_**(A/N: Hey, peeps. I still need people who can animate to be part of The Yellowfang and Nightcloud Show project! I have voices, but no one who can draw AND animate. Please help us out!)**_

Allegiances

ThunderClan

Leader: Bramblestar- dark brown tabby tom with amber eyes

Deputy: Ivypool- silver-and-white tabby she-cat with blue eyes

Medicine Cat: Jayfeather- gray tabby tom with blind blue eyes

Medicine Cat Apprentice: Streampaw

Warriors:

Squirrelflight- dark ginger she-cat with green eyes

Nightcloud- black she-cat with green eyes

Berrynose- cream-colored tom

Apprentice: Brindlepaw

Mousewhisker- gray-and-white tom

Poppyfrost- tortoiseshell she-cat

Apprentice: Maplepaw

Cinderheart- gray tabby she-cat

Lionblaze- golden tabby tom with amber eyes

Rosepetal- dark cream she-cat

Bumblestripe- very pale gray tom with black stripes

Blossomfall- tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat

Dovewing- pale gray she-cat with blue eyes

Molewhisker- brown-and-cream tom

Cherryfall- pale ginger she-cat

Apprentice: Swallowpaw

Snowtail- white, fluffy tom

Sorrelcloud- golden tabby she-cat

Apprentice: Stormpaw

Hollyfrost- gray tabby she-cat

Apprentice: Dustpaw

Tawnyheart- dark brown tabby-she-cat

Sunblaze- dark ginger tom

Rowanfur- long-haired cream-colored tom

Hazelleaf- ginger tabby she-cat with green eyes

Smoketail- gray-and-white tom with green eyes

Queens:

Lilyheart- tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat (mother of Snowtail's kits: Brackenkit (tom), Ravenkit (tom), Applekit (she-cat); five moons old)

Tawnyheart- dark brown tabby she-cat (mother of Rowanfur's kits: Hawkkit (tom) and Goldenkit (she-cat); three moons old)

Blue-eye- tortoiseshell she-cat with remarkably blue eyes (expecting Sunblaze's kits)

Apprentices:

Swallowpaw- black she-cat with green eyes

Streampaw- brown tabby she-cat with amber eyes

Dustpaw- dark cream tom

Stormpaw- pale gray tabby tom

Brindlepaw- tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat

Maplepaw- long-haired cream-colored she-cat

Elders:

Sandstorm- pale ginger she-cat with green eyes

Brightheart- white she-cat with ginger patches

Thornclaw- golden-brown tabby tom

Leafpool- tabby-and-white she-cat (retired after bad case of greencough)

Birchfall- light brown tabby tom (retired after bad case of greencough)

Chapter 1

"I swear if Sandstorm complains one more time about aching joints I am going to lose my mind!" a brown tabby cat cried as she pushed through a heavy dark green lichen curtain.

A dark gray tabby tom snorted at his companion entered their den. "She promised to be the grouchiest elder ever, and she's certainly living up to that."

"The least she could do is say 'thank you' once in a while," the she-cat grumbled. "Graystripe? He appreciates me. Birchfall? He appreciates me. Leafpool and Thornclaw?"

"Streampaw, if you dislike her so much why don't you just put a few burrs in her nest?" the tom meowed, shoving a pile of mint leaves further back in the den.

Streampaw's amber eyes widened with shock. "I would never do that, Jayfeather! I may not like listening to her complain, but Sandstorm is my elder and I would never do anything to upset her."

Jayfeather shook his head, flicking his apprentice with his tail. "I know you wouldn't. You're too nice for your own good. How about I put in a word to Dustpaw and Stormpaw? I'm sure they wouldn't mind giving Sandstorm some trouble."

"No, don't do that," the tabby she-cat replied. "They'd just put burrs in all the elders' nests."

"You're right about that," Jayfeather meowed. "They actually put burrs in my nest! I was ready to give them a piece of my mind when-"

"Hey, Jayfeather?"

The tom stopped as a voice interrupted his rambling. Streampaw turned around to see a tortoiseshell she-cat padding into the den. "Hello, Blue-eye," the medicine cat apprentice meowed coolly, eyeing the warrior.

Blue-eye nodded to Streampaw in greeting before turning to Jayfeather. "So, Jayfeather, I was wondering if-"

"You're expecting kits," the tom meowed, interrupting the tortoiseshell.

The warrior's eyes widened, sending a questioning glance to Streampaw, who shrugged. "Yes, but I was wondering if I-"

"No, you don't have to move into the nursery immediately," Jayfeather growled. "You can still patrol and hunt for another moon or so."

"You could let me finish speaking, you know," Blue-eye grumbled. She flicked her tail in annoyance, glaring at the medicine cat. "Don't you know it's rude to interrupt?"

The tom turned his back on the warrior, facing his herb store. "You don't have any questions I haven't heard a million times. When something goes wrong you can come to me then."

Blue-eye turned back to Streampaw. "You have any better advice?" she asked.

"Yes," the tabby mewed. "Don't pay attention to Jayfeather's attitude." Streampaw's gaze softened, seeing the normally arrogant warrior shift her paws worriedly. "So who's the father?"

"Sunblaze," Blue-eye mewed. "He's the one who insisted I come see Jayfeather immediately. We don't want anything to hurt the kits."

Streampaw nodded thoughtfully. "Sunblaze is a nice tom. You're very lucky."

"I know," the warrior mewed, looking slightly embarrassed. "Are you sure there's nothing I should do? Like not go on too many patrols?"

The tabby shook her head. "I wouldn't recommend tree-climbing, but other than that you should be okay until it's nearly time for the kits to be born."

Blue-eye sighed with relief. "That's good. Sunblaze was sure I'd hurt the kits by walking! He's a bit paranoid."

"That's better than him not caring," Streampaw mewed. "Would you rather have that?"

"Are you two going to stand there gossiping all day?" Jayfeather grumbled from behind the she-cats. "Streampaw has things to do, Blue-eye, so unless you're dying- go away!"

The tortoiseshell warrior glared at the blind medicine cat. "Well!" she snapped. "I can see when I'm not wanted!" She whipped around to leave the den, sending one last glance at Streampaw. "Thanks for being nicer than your mentor!"

Streampaw watched as Blue-eye stalked out of the den, shaking her head in amusement. After the warrior had left, the she-cat turned to face her mentor. "You didn't have to be quite so short with her, you know. This is her first litter. She's worried."

"Every she-cat is worried about their first litter for no reason," Jayfeather growled. "When's the last time a she-cat died giving birth in my Clan?"

"I have no idea," the apprentice meowed. "That must have been before I was born."

The medicine cat nodded. "Before you were born, before I was born, before Leafpool was born…yeah, it's been a while."

Streampaw nodded seriously, understanding her mentor's point. So what was it you wanted me to do?"

"Go see your sister," Jayfeather meowed. "She tore a muscle in her hind leg chasing a squirrel and I want to make sure she's resting and not out patrolling."

"I'm pretty sure she went on the dawn patrol this morning," the tabby mewed. "In fact, I saw her leave with Sorrelcloud, Molewhisker, and Cherryfall."

The tom heaved a sigh. "And I bet she was limping. I swear that she-cat has bees for brains!"

Streampaw touched her mentor's shoulder with her nose. "She just wants to serve her Clan. How can you fault her for that?"

"Because if she's serving her Clan now she won't be able to serve her Clan later," Jayfeather muttered. "That leg will be damaged forever if she doesn't stay off of it for a few days! Go tell her she is not to go on any patrols for the next three days!"

"I will," the tabby she-cat mewed. "But don't get mad at me when she doesn't listen!"

Jayfeather snorted, shaking his head. "Then maybe I'll just have you sit on her for three days! If she wants her leg to feel better, she's go to stay off it!"

The apprentice let out a mrrow of laughter. "I don't think sitting on her would keep her in camp. When Swallowpaw gets an idea, you know she's set on it and doesn't let anything get in her way."

"I know," the medicine cat grumbled, "but that determination is going to get her in trouble. Next time it won't be a squirrel she's chasing. It'll be a hawk she's leaping to catch!"

"Be glad we're not in WindClan," Streampaw laughed. "Then you really would have that problem."

The tabby she-cat turned away from Jayfeather and padded out of the den, letting the lichen brush over her smooth striped fur as she stepped out onto the grass. The sun was shining brightly over the ThunderClan camp, and a cool breeze buffeted the young cat's fur. Crunchy brown leaves covered the camp ground, and the few leaves remaining in the tall oak and maple trees were brilliant shades of amber and orange. The air had turned cool, but so far there had been no sign of snow. Streampaw hoped this meant the Clans would have a mild leaf-bare. ThunderClan was doing well at the moment. Every cat was fed, the nursery was filled with kits, and the Clans were at peace. Everything was alright, and the optimistic tabby cat was sure that nothing could destroy the happy lives that lived around the lake. StarClan had blessed the Clan cats, and they would enjoy many more moons of happiness. Streampaw was sure of it.


	2. Chapter 2

_**(A/N: So are Swallow/Newt done for good? Or might they meet again someday? Maybe that's why this is going to be a quartet and not a trilogy...**_

_**If you want to voice a character for The Yellowfang and Nightcloud Show, pm me and I'll give you the list of characters for the 1st season (eps 1-17) and the details of how you can send in an audition. I still need artists/animators! Please be able to do both. Otherwise the show won't have any movement.)**_

Chapter 2

"This leg is driving me crazy!" Swallowpaw groaned, stretching out in her nest.

"It's your own fault for chasing that squirrel," Stormpaw meowed. "Cherryfall told you not to risk getting hurt."

The black she-cat sent her friend a sharp glare. "I thought I had it! And I caught the darn thing, so at least the squirrel paid for my pain."

The pale gray tabby shook his head, glancing over at his darker brother. "Don't you chase any squirrels through tree branches! I don't want you to get hurt like mouse-brain over here."

Dustpaw laughed, twitching his whiskers. "Are you kidding me? Hollyfrost is the most over-protective mentor in ThunderClan! She probably won't let me hunt in trees when I'm a warrior!"

"You should have Sorrelcloud," Stormpaw mewed. "She's the best! She lets me do whatever I want. If I think I'm ready to do something, she lets me."

"That's because Sorrelcloud has a few bees in her brain," Swallowpaw meowed. "She has too much energy and not enough time to spend it all. It's a wonder she's not out climbing trees with you."

Stormpaw shook his head. "She does! Sorrelcloud loves leaping through the trees. She says she likes to feel what it must be like to fly."

Dustpaw snorted. "She is going to hurt herself like Swallowpaw if she's not careful. Hollyfrost may not let me do much, but at least with her I know I'm safe."

"Ah, Dustpaw, you have no fun," his brother meowed. "Hollyfrost treats you like a kit. Sorrelcloud treats me like a warrior!"

"They should treat you like apprentices," Swallowpaw meowed. "Since that's what you are."

"And so are you," a voice meowed, the bracken entrance rustling as a new cat entered the den.

Swallowpaw turned around in her nest to see her sister push her way into the apprentices' den. "Hi, Streampaw!" she meowed. "What's up?"

The tabby she-cat narrowed her amber eyes, giving her sister a stern glance. "Jayfeather is angry with you. He says you are absolutely not to leave camp until your leg gets better, and you deliberately disobeyed him and went on the dawn patrol this morning."

"I get bored when I'm stuck in camp all day," the black she-cat whined, resting her chin on her paws. "I wanted to do something exciting!"

"And how does your leg feel now?" Streampaw asked, her eyes shifting down to one of Swallowpaw's back legs, which was stretched out of the nest awkwardly.

Swallowpaw sighed, drawing the leg into the nest slowly. "I wish it would fall off," she grunted, wincing in pain."

The medicine cat apprentice shook her head disapprovingly. "It wouldn't hurt so badly if you'd stay off of it. No more patrols for at least three days- Jayfeather's orders."

"Three days!" the black apprentice gasped. "But that's so long! What am I supposed to do until then?"

Dustpaw glanced over at the she-cat. "Why do you want to leave camp so badly?" he asked.

"Is it because you want to see your ShadowClan mate?" Stormpaw added, giving the apprentice a pointed look.

Swallowpaw shook her head defiantly. "Absolutely not! I haven't thought about Newtpaw in ages. I just get bored when I have nothing to do!"

"I think she's still in love," Stormpaw meowed.

"Totally," Dustpaw echoed. "She's desperate to see him."

"Will you two shut up?" Streampaw growled. "It's none of your business whether my sister misses her friend or not."

Swallowpaw nodded, glaring at the toms. "And I don't. It's been three moons since I've seen him. I've moved on. All I want to do is completely my training and become a warrior. I am not interested in finding a mate."

Dustpaw widened his eyes, staring at the older apprentice. "Does that mean you don't want a mate ever?" he asked.

"Even when you're a warrior?" Stormpaw meowed. "What if a ThunderClan tom was in love with you?"

The black she-cat snorted, shaking her head in amusement. "And what ThunderClan tom likes me?" she asked. "Smoketail? Rowanfur?"

"Maybe someday one of them will be," Stormpaw meowed.

"Maybe one of them likes Streampaw," Dustpaw added.

The tabby apprentice arched her eyes, flashing the toms a warning glance. "Hold on, now. I'm not looking for a mate, either. I'm going to be the medicine cat, remember? No mate for Streampaw."

Dustpaw glanced away from the she-cats, looking slightly embarrassed. "Oh," he mewed. "I knew that."

Swallowpaw gave a soft mroww of laughter before turning back to Streampaw. "Fine. I'll stay in camp for three days, but I am not going to be stuck in this nest for three days. I'm still going to limp my way to the fresh-kill pile and Jayfeather isn't going to stop me!"

"I'm sure he wouldn't dare," Streampaw meowed. "Just try and stay off that leg as much as possible, okay?"

"Okay!" the black she-cat replied. "I won't go chasing squirrels for three days. I won't go on patrols for three days. I won't do anything for three days!"

The tabby apprentice nodded seriously. "Excellent. I'll tell Jayfeather that you're actually going to listen for once."

Swallowpaw nodded, watching her sister turn around to leave the den. After the last bit of tabby fur from Streampaw's tail disappeared from sight, the black apprentice brought her attention back to the toms lying in their nests.

"Does someone have a crush on Streampaw?" she asked, staring at Dustpaw.

"What?" the dark cream tom gasped. "No, of course not! She's a medicine cat! I don't like her!"

The black she-cat narrowed her eyes, not quite believing the younger cat. "You're wasting your time with her," she meowed. "Streampaw would never break the warrior code and take a mate."

Dustpaw glanced down at the sandy den floor. "I know," he murmured.

Stormpaw raised his head proudly. "That's why I like Maplepaw! That's not breaking the code, is it?"

"Nope," Swallowpaw assured him. "Maybe Dustpaw will end up liking Brindlepaw."

The tom shook his head. "No, she's not the cat for me."

The black apprentice laid her head down on the edge of her nest, yawning. "Well, you'll find a she-cat someday. Maybe I'll fine a nice tom someday, too…"


	3. Chapter 3

_**(A/N: Poor Dustpaw. Doesn't he know he shouldn't have a crush on Streampaw? It'll never work (and it's not going to). Doesn't Swallowpaw seem much better now than she did in SH2? Much less annoying.)**_

Chapter 3

"I wonder how Doepaw and Nightpaw's training is going," Streampaw meowed, padding through the tall, yellow grass that covered the outskirts of WindClan territory.

"I expect you'll be able to ask them," Jayfeather meowed, flicking the she-cat with his tail. "We'll see them soon. Doepaw and Kestrelflight are probably waiting for us on the top of the hill on the edge of their territory."

The tabby apprentice bounced happily, enjoying the walk under the deep violet and pink sky. The sun was half way set, the orange light burning like fire as it fell. Nightfall would come to the moor before too long. "I can't believe they've been apprentices for three moons already," she meowed. "It seems like it was just yesterday when I met them for the first time."

"It seems like just yesterday you were apprenticed," the dark gray medicine cat meowed. "And that's been five moons, nearly six."

Streampaw nodded seriously. "It won't be long until you give me a medicine cat name, right?"

Jayfeather shook his head. "No. You're getting very close to the end of your training."

The she-cat brushed her tail along her mentor's side. "You've been a great teacher," she mewed. Feeling joyful, the young cat burst into a sprint, racing up the grassy hill with ease, her long legs carrying her swiftly to the top.

"Will…you…slow down?" her mentor gasped, out of breath as he reached his apprentice. "Just because you have WindClan's skill for running doesn't mean you have to use it!"

"It would be a waste not to," Streampaw mewed, tipping her head to one side. "Maybe if ThunderClan bodies weren't so big and chunky they could run just as fast as us lithe cats."

Jayfeather snorted, shaking his head. "Now where's Kestrelflight? I'm surprised he's not here already."

The brown tabby glanced around, looking down onto the hilly, grass-covered moor below her. At the base of the hill, starting their war up were three cats. Narrowing her amber eyes, Streampaw inspected the newcomers, recognizing them as Kestrelflight, Doepaw, and Willowshine.

"He's coming, Jayfeather," the she-cat mewed. "Doepaw and Willowshine are with him. It looks like the only cats missing are Littlecloud and Nightpaw."

"It always takes ShadowClan the longest," the dark gray tom meowed. "You know Littlecloud has trouble managing the journey."

Streampaw nodded, watching the other three cats make their way to the top of the hill. "Hi!" she mewed in greeting. "You made it!"

"Sorry we're late," Doepaw mewed, shaking her tortoiseshell pelt. "I got stuck in a tangle of weeds."

"And who helped get you out?" Willowshine purred. "It's a good thing Kestrelflight and I were there or you'd still be caught up!"

Kestrelflight glanced over at the ThunderClan cats. "Well, shall we wait for Littlecloud?" he asked. "It's getting rather late."

Jayfeather shook his head. "Littlecloud is always late, but he always comes before the night ends. Let's just go and hope he gets to the Moonpool before sunrise."

The WindClan medicine cat nodded. "Right, then let's get going."

Streampaw took her place and the back of the group, hoping the WindClan apprentice would fall back with her so they could walk together. Doepaw made her way over to the older she-cat, padding alongside her as the medicine cats made their way out of Clan territory to the rocky hills beyond.

"How's your training going, Doepaw?" the tabby she-cat asked, giving the tortoiseshell a friendly glance.

"Oh, it's great!" Doepaw replied. "Kestrelflight's been showing me the treatments for whitecough and blackcough. We haven't had any sickness yet, but Kestrelflight wants me to be prepared. He thinks we're going to have a harsh leaf-bare."

The ThunderClan she-cat nodded, listening to the WindClan apprentice babble on about her training as they travelled up the rocky slopes.

"Well, look who finally showed up!" Willowshine meowed, studying a small brown tabby tom who had finally joined the group.

Streampaw sat outside the cavern entrance, watching the older medicine cats great Littlecloud. Nightpaw darted around his mentor and padded over to the other apprentices, his amber eyes glowing with worry.

"I don't think he's going to be able to come here anymore," Nightpaw whispered to the she-cats, flicking his tail toward his mentor. "Littlecloud can barely make it through RiverClan territory, and the ground is flat there. Climbing these hills is nearly impossible!"

"He's so old!" Doepaw exclaimed. "I'm surprised he's even still alive!"

Streampaw nodded her agreement. "I know. He was born a long time before the Clans even came to the lake territory! He's ancient!"

"I heard that!" the thin, bony elder croaked. "I may be old, but I can still make it to the Moonpool!"

"Now, Littlecloud, there's no shame in admitting the journey is too hard for you," Willowshine mewed patiently. "Nightpaw is perfectly capable of coming on his own."

Littlecloud shook his head defiantly. "Until I retire there is nothing that can keep me from coming every half-moon!" Flashing Willowshine an angry glare, the tom stalked toward the mouth of the cavern. "Shall we go or not? We're wasting moonlight!"

Streampaw couldn't help but snicker at the elderly tom's attitude. Doepaw echoed the giggle, earning both she-cats stern glares form Kestrelflight and Willowshine. Jayfeather ignored the apprentice's laughter and followed Littlecloud into the cavern, not waiting for the others to follow him.

"I guess we should go in," Nightpaw mewed. "I hope we all have good dreams tonight!"

Doepaw nodded in agreement, taking her place in front of the shallow pool by her mentor. Streampaw laid down beside Jayfeather, reaching out to touch the cool water with her nose. Instantly the tabby found herself no longer in the glittering cavern, but instead of finding herself in a grassy clearing filled with prey and kind, friendly cats, she found herself in a dark forest. The large, old trees were covered in thick green foliage, blocking any sunlight from breaking through to the forest floor. It was eerily silent, void of any cats lounging around or talking with each other.

Confused, Streampaw padded cautiously through the forest. "Hello?" she called. "Is anyone there?"

No voices met her call. Even more confused, the tabby sat down on the cold, stiff grass. She didn't know where she was or if any cats were there at all. "Yellowfang?" she called again. "Brambleberry? Bluestar? Anyone?"

The dark leaves of a bush nearby rustled, the sound causing the frightened she-cat to jump. A taller, ragged looking brown tabby padded out into the clearing where Streampaw sat. He was slender, his long legs built for running long distances. His amber eyes burned into the apprentice's, watching her with great interest.

"I am here," he meowed, sitting down on the grass. He wrapped his black-striped tail neatly around his paws, gazing at the she-cat as if he expected her to respond.

Streampaw swallowed nervously. "Who…who are you?" she finally asked.

The tom's eyes widened, and he tipped his head to one side. "Why, Streampaw, don't you know?" he asked, sounding hurt by her question.

"How do you know my name?" the apprentice asked, narrowing her eyes. "Who are you?"

The tom glanced down at his paws, studying them for a moment before returning his gaze to the young she-cats. "I'm your father."


	4. Chapter 4

_**(A/N: Sorry I haven't updated in a week. I've been busy. Well...you can think I was busy, anyway. I really like how this chapter turned out, so I hope you do to.**_

_**Still need artists/animators. I'd obviously prefer them to be familiar with TYANS so they have an idea of how the scenes look. That's why I haven't just asked random writers on here- just the ones that actually read my stories. I could maybe use a few more voices. Everyone cats will probably read 3-4 characters, so I'd like to have a team of 5 voice-actors. For now, anyway. I might add more later.)**_

Chapter 4

Swallowpaw wandered through a dark, dense forest, carefully stepping over twigs and leaves that covered the cool, grassy ground. The thick green canopy hid the sky, casting dark shadows through the wispy leaves and thin branches. The air was heavy and thick, the moisture making the apprentice's whiskers curl. She didn't know where she was, or why she was here. Confused, she continued padding through the forest, hoping to find someone who could tell her what was going on.

As she travelled deeper into the forest, she began to hear hushed voices. Alerted by the noise, she swerved in the direction of the sound. Padding quicker, the black apprentice hurried along, nearly tripping over a thin tendril crossing the path. She pushed herself through a coarse bramble thicket, and found herself staring at two cats.

A large, lither brown tabby tom was speaking to a smaller version of himself. As Swallowpaw padded into the clearing, the tabby cats turned and stared at her with wide yellow eyes. The black she-cat blinked in surprise as she recognized the smaller tabby.

"Streampaw?" she asked, staring at her sister. "What are you doing here? Where are we? Who is that?"

The tabby she-cat neatly wrapped her tail around her paws. "This is Onestar," she meowed, pointing to the older tabby with her tail. "Our father."

Swallowpaw narrowed her eyes, studying the tom seriously. "Our father?" she growled, remembering the stories Nightcloud had told her about the former WindClan leader. "You're dead."

Onestar nodded quickly, gazing at his daughter with emotionless amber eyes. "So I am," he mewed. "And you are alive. What a quaint observation."

The black she-cat approached the tom, not quite trusting the thin tabby. She circled around him cautiously, not taking her eyes off of the WindClan tom. "This is the Dark Forest, isn't it?" she hissed. "I don't think StarClan would accept you after what you did to my mother and ThunderClan."

The tabby's eyes softened, and when he spoke his voice was as smooth as honey. "I only wanted to have my children close," he mewed. "That is not a crime."

"You made our mother a prisoner," Streampaw interjected, "and nearly let Crowfeather kill her. You attacked our Clan when Nightcloud fled yours and even started a battle at a Gathering. That _is_ a crime."

Onestar cast a glance at his look-alike daughter. "Your mother refused to allow me to be a part of your lives." He lowered his head, staring at his paws. "When Whitetail moved to the elders' den, she said I could find another mate. She didn't want me to be lonely when she died. I thought Nightcloud truly loved me. I loved her. When she started showing that she was expecting, I was so excited to be a father again. She prevented me from being part of your lives. All I wanted was to raise me children, but she claimed she never loved me and wanted nothing to do with me. She took you away from me and wouldn't even let me see you."

"That's a lie!" Swallowpaw hissed. "Our mother thought you loved her! She did love you! Nightcloud thought she had finally found someone she could trust, but she was tricked. You were going to be just like Crowfeather, and she knew that."

"Nightcloud has been lying to you," the tabby tom whispered. "I would never have treated her like Crowfeather. I truly loved her and I loved our kits."

Streampaw snorted, shaking her head roughly. "Swallowpaw and I aren't buying this," she growled. "Mother would never lie to us."

The black apprentice nodded decisively, padding over to stand beside her sister. She raised her head to give Onestar a defiant glare. "We know you never loved her. It was a cruel trick played on a fragile, grieving she-cat. The news of Breezepelt's treachery broke her heart, and you took that broken heart and shattered it until there was nothing less. You are a monster, and you know it."

"I don't know why you think I'm a monster," Onestar meowed, giving the she-cats a sorrowful glance. "I only wanted to meet my daughters, and when I bring you here you attack me with false accusations? I thought you'd be happy to meet your poor lost father."

"We'd be happy if you left us alone," Swallowpaw hissed. "Our lives are perfectly fine without you."

Streampaw nodded. "We have a Clan that loves us. Our mother is happy. I'm going to be a great medicine cat, and Swallowpaw will be a great warrior. We don't need you or your lies."

"You say your sister will be a great warrior," Onestar meowed, staring at Streampaw, "but will she be happy?"

Swallowpaw narrowed her eyes, confused as to what her father was suggesting. "What do you mean, 'will I be happy'?" Of course I'll be happy."

The tabby tom raised his eyes, twitching his tail in surprise. "Really? I thought for sure you'd still be upset over losing that ShadowClan tom. Newtpaw, is it?"

"That was three moons ago," the black she-cat meowed roughly. "I'm over him."

"It's a shame that Bramblestar wouldn't let you be with him," Onestar mewed. "If I were still alive, I'd never stop my daughter from being with the one she loved."

Streampaw unsheathed her claws, kneading the ground as she glared at the former leader. "Are you saying you'd let Swallowpaw break the warrior code?"

"No leader would let a member of his Clan break the code," Swallowpaw added. "What I did was wrong, but I was younger then and didn't understand why it was wrong. I understand why I can't be with him now."

Onestar stared at the she-cats for a moment, clearly contemplating what they were saying. "You believe it's right for the Clans to forbid true love?" he asked. "Swallowpaw, you said it yourself- that rule is outdated. Are you saying you no longer aspire to become Clan leader and remove it from the code so you and Newtpaw can be together?"

"I'm saying I understand why the rule was put into place," Swallowpaw hissed. "It could make me disloyal in battle if we ever fought against ShadowClan. A cat cannot have a paw in two Clans."

The tabby tom shrugged dismissively. "And here I thought my daughter was going to make a positive change for the Clans, but no. She's decided to live a miserable life without the one she loves due to outdated tradition. Such a shame. A cat should be allowed to love whomever they love."

"Well, I've heard enough of this nonsense," Streampaw meowed, standing up from her spot on the dewy grass. "You're trying to trick us, and we aren't falling for it, right Swallowpaw?"

"Right!" the black she-cat echoed. "You can't show up in our lives after all this time and expect us to believe anything you say. Stay out of our lives, Onestar."

Streampaw gave a decisive nod. "We are perfectly happy without you. Leave us alone."

Swallowpaw whipped around to stalk away from her father, with Streampaw by her side. She didn't need to hear any more from Onestar. She didn't care about Newtpaw anymore! She had been a young and foolish apprentice. Now she knew better, and this WindClan cat she'd never met before wasn't about to change her mind.


	5. Chapter 5

_**(A/N: I've gotten some people willing to voice the female characters for TYANS. I need 1-2 people to voice Brokenstar, Breezepelt, and the few males guests for the first 17 episodes. Anyone willing? Still need an animator as well.**_

_**Streampaw chapter! Yay! *huggles Streampaw***_

_**Anyone get A Forest Divided? I loved it!)**_

Chapter 5

"Streampaw, you've been rather quiet since we went to the Moonpool. Is something wrong?" Jayfeather flicked a juniper berry toward the back of the herb store, waiting for his apprentice to reply as she quietly shuffled a pile of poppy seeds.

"Nothing's wrong, Jayfeather," she meowed. "I'm just thinking."

The dark gray tom snorted, shaking his head in disbelief. "You know I'm not buying that. It's been three days, and you've barely said anything. You're usually a chatterbox, so I know something's troubling you. Now why don't you tell me what's going on?"

Streampaw sighed, staring down at her paws. She didn't really want to tell her mentor about meeting her father. That surely wasn't a dream she'd been expecting to have at the Moonpool. She really wasn't sure she was even in StarClan that night. In fact, she was sure she wasn't. The tabby glanced nervously at her mentor, who was sitting upright and facing the apprentice, clearly expecting her to speak.

"Do you think my father's in StarClan?" she blurted out. Shocked by her own outburst, she slapped her tail across her mouth, embarrassed to have asked Jayfeather that.

The medicine cat's sightless blue eyes widened. "That's what this is about?" he asked. "Where's this coming from? You've never mentioned your father before."

The tabby swallowed, wishing she'd never asked about him. "I…um…I just want to know more about him," she lied, not brave enough to tell Jayfeather that the skinny brown tabby had appeared in her dream.

Jayfeather narrowed his eyes, twitching his tail slightly. "Onestar was in love with Whitetail- I think- but somehow managed to trick your mother into thinking he loved her. What more could you possibly need to know? He turned out to be a horrible cat."

"Well, he is my father," Streampaw pressed. "Surely it's natural to want to know about the cat who fathered you."

"I never wanted to get to know Crowfeather," the medicine cat growled.

The tabby apprentice shifted her paws. "You had Bramblestar as a father. You didn't need to know some cat from a different Clan when you had a perfectly good father here. Not every cat has both parents, you know."

Jayfeather sighed, nodding. "I suppose you have a point. I did believe Bramblestar was my father for many seasons. You've never known any father." He wrapped his tail neatly around his paws, tipping his head to one side in thought. "Onestar was a tough leader. He didn't want any other Clan to think he or WindClan was weak. He wanted to prove WindClan was just as strong as everyone else. He could be rough and fierce when it came to defending his borders, but he had his Clan's best interests at heart."

"Nightcloud said she doesn't think he ever loved her," Streampaw mewed. "Why do you think he wanted Eaglekit, Swallowpaw, and me so badly?"

"I honestly don't know," the medicine cat admitted. "Maybe he did just want to be near his kits. I doubt that was the case since he was so cruel to your mother, but I don't know what to tell you. Onestar was blinded by anger and let his rage control everything he did."

Streampaw nodded slowly. "And he lost two of his kits. Eaglekit and Heathertail died because he let his anger get ahold of him."

"That's exactly right," Jayfeather meowed. "Now, do you have any more questions about Onestar or can we get busy gathering herbs? I'm out of coltsfoot and feverfew."

"I do have another question," the apprentice mewed. "Do you think my father's in StarClan?"

The tom froze, not immediately answering the she-cat. He closed his eyes for a moment, clearly thinking about how to respond to his apprentice's question. "Well…he did do some bad things," he meowed slowly, choosing his words carefully.

Streampaw shifted her paws. "But was he really bad enough to go the Dark Forest?" she asked. "He wasn't as bad as the elders make Brokenstar or Tigerstar sound."

"I don't know where Onestar is," Jayfeather meowed. "Sometimes killers end up in the Dark Forest, and sometimes they find their way to StarClan."

"Okay," the apprentice sighed. She had a feeling her father wasn't in StarClan, but there was a small bit hope that maybe, just maybe, he was.

The medicine cat stood up, shaking his pelt roughly. "Now we really need to get going! Leaf-bare is approaching, and I need to make sure we're stocked up in case anyone gets whitecough."

Streampaw padded through the forest, silent as she and her mentor headed toward his little garden by the abandoned twoleg den. She was still thinking about her dream with Onestar. Both she and Swallowpaw had seen the tom, yet her sister hadn't brought it up since then. She wasn't sure whether Swallowpaw just thought it was a normal dream or whether the black she-cat just didn't care about their father at all.

"Ah, catmint!" Jayfeather sighed happily, taking a deep breath as the two cats reached the garden. "How do my plants look, Streampaw? Are they still holding up against the cold?"

The tabby apprentice shook her head to clear her thoughts. She glanced over the sweet-smelling herbs, taking in their scent. Studying their soft green leaves, she nodded with satisfaction. "They look fine, Jayfeather."

The dark gray tom nodded and bent his head to touch a leaf with his nose. "They're cold," he muttered. "We should do something to keep the frost off of my herbs."

"What if we covered it with leaves?" Streampaw suggested. "We could weaved some leaves in some twigs and brambles and cover the herbs."

Before the tom could reply, a joyful yowl sounded from behind the two cats. Streampaw whirled around to see Swallowpaw come charging toward them, a large bird trapped between her jaws. Dustpaw and Maplepaw followed closely behind the black she-cat, panting as they skidded to a halt at the edge of the garden.

"Look at this fat robin I caught!" Swallowpaw meowed, dropping her catch. "I was high up in an old oak tree stalking a squirrel, and this dumb bird didn't even see me until it was too late! It tried to take off flying, but I was too fast!"

"That's great!" Streampaw mewed, nudging the bird with her paw. "It is rather plump for late leaf-fall. This was a great catch."

"And now she'll be talking about it ages," Maplepaw grumbled. "I could have caught that robin."

Dustpaw shouldered the cream-colored she-cat good-naturedly. "You're not allowed to climb trees," he mewed. "Hollyfrost is only just now letting me climb!"

Swallowpaw nodded, staring at the younger she-cat. "Don't worry, Maplepaw. Poppyfrost will start teaching you how to climb trees before too long. I bet you'll master tree hunting before Dustpaw's even allowed to reach the really high up branches!"

Maplepaw raised her head proudly. "I bet so too! I'm going to be a great hunter!"

Streampaw shook her head in amusement. Her sister was acting like a warrior already. Swallowpaw would make a good mentor someday.

"Where are your mentors?" Jayfeather asked sharply, ignoring the happy squeals from the apprentices.

"Poppyfrost and Hollyfrost are gathering the rest of my catches," Swallowpaw replied. "I've had a good day so far."

Dustpaw nodded. "You should have seen her wrestle that rabbit! I thought she'd lose an eye for sure!"

The medicine cat raised his eyes, twitching his ears slightly. "Hm…it sounds like someone isn't going to be an apprentice for much longer."

"Cherryfall says I can have my assessment soon," Swallowpaw meowed proudly. "I just came out here today to help these two younger apprentices hunt."

Streampaw sat and listened to her sister boast about her hunts and how she was helping the other apprentices. The black she-cat certainly wasn't acting like an apprentice any more. The tabby knew it wouldn't be long before Swallowpaw would be moving into the warriors' den. Both she and Swallowpaw were excelling in their training. ThunderClan was proud of them. With a nod of satisfaction, Streampaw realized it didn't matter where her father was or what he said. She didn't need him. She and Swallowpaw were turning into fine cats, and that was without their meddling father.


	6. Chapter 6

**_(A/N: Well, that's an interesting philosophical proof, Dawnfeather and Silentstar. I hadn't realized that TYANS is Tansy jumbled up...but you're right._**

**_Anyone up for animating? I'm going to keep asking until I get an answer!_**

**_In all honestly, who else forgot Eaglekit existed?)_**

Chapter 6

"Honestly, I don't know why you're still an apprentice. I can't think of anything left to teach you- you know it all!"

Swallowpaw flicked her tail, trying to hide her feeling of pride while Cherryfall commended her on yet another successful hunt. "Oh, Cherryfall, I think I could still use some more training," she mewed modestly. "I nearly missed that starling."

The ginger warrior shook her head. "It started flying before you were able to pounce. Even a senior warrior would have had trouble catching that bird."

"Still, I'm sure there's more I could learn," the black she-cat mewed.

"No, there isn't," Cherryfall meowed. "You bring back more prey than any other apprentice, you can successfully win mock fights against warriors, you scent rogues and loners faster than anyone else- you're more than ready to be made a warrior."

Swallowpaw ducked her head, embarrassed by the praise. True, she had really improved in her training. No one could say she wasn't excelling. She could out-hunt Sorrelcloud and Sunblaze and hunting patrols, she had won fights against Rowanfur and Snowtail , and she had scented that rogue she-cat hunting on ThunderClan territory before Berrynose. Internally, she knew her mentor was right. Swallowpaw was ready to be a warrior, but she wasn't sure if the rest of the Clan would think so. She knew Hazelleaf still didn't trust her, and she wasn't sure if Smoketail or the other young warriors did either. What if Bramblestar and Ivypool still doubted her loyalty? What if they still thought she was in love with Newtpaw?

The thought of the dark gray ShadowClan tom crossed her mind, but she shook her head quickly to clear it. She couldn't dwell on her past. She'd broken the warrior code and had spent the last three moons trying to prove she could be trusted. She didn't care about Newtpaw anymore. That's what she told everyone who asked, anyway. Swallowpaw didn't risk thinking about the tom just in case those old feelings came back.

"It's settled then!" Cherryfall meowed. "I'm going to see Bramblestar right now and tell him you are more than ready to take your place in ThunderClan as a warrior!"

"I…thank you, Cherryfall," the black apprentice mewed, shuffling her paws.

She watched her mentor pad away, heading toward the base of the High Ledge where Bramblestar was sitting. The old leader was talking with Squirrelflight and Ivypool, but waved his tail in welcome as Cherryfall greeted the tabby tom.

"Is she doing what I think she is?"

A voice behind Swallowpaw caused her to jump. Spinning around, she saw a tabby she-cat standing behind her, twitching her whiskers in amusement. "The mighty warrior jumps at the voice of her own sister?" Streampaw mewed.

"You just surprised me," Swallowpaw meowed. "I was lost in thought."

The brown tabby nodded. She glanced in the direction of Bramblestar. "Cherryfall's talking to him about your naming ceremony, isn't she?"

"Yes," the black she-cat mewed. "She thinks I'm ready."

"Or course you're ready!" Streampaw mewed. "You'll be a great warrior, Swallowpaw!"

The apprentice glanced at her sister, twitching her tail worriedly. "What if Bramblestar doesn't think I should be a warrior because I like- um, liked- Newtpaw."

The medicine cat apprentice shrugged. "It's been three months, Sis. Bramblestar's not going to bring that up after you've worked so hard to regain his trust."

Swallowpaw turned to glance back at the dark tabby leader. Cherryfall had finished speaking to him and he was leaping up onto the ledge, digging his claws into the stone as he heaved himself up.

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey gathering beneath the High Ledge for a Clan meeting!" he called loudly, gazing out onto the camp.

"See, I told you he'd let you be a warrior!" Streampaw mewed. "Now you'd better go up there. You don't want to keep him waiting"

The black she-cat nodded and nervously padded forward. She looked up at her leader, trying to meet his eyes. Bramblestar glanced down at her, nodding encouragingly. Sighing with relief, Swallowpaw sat down at the base and waited for her Clanmates to gather around.

Blue-eye waddled out of the nursery, her belly swaying with unborn kits. The tortoiseshell she-cat sat down next to Sunblaze, leaning her head against his shoulder. Tawnyheart and Lilyheart sat down outside the nursery while their kits tumbled around at their paws, excited for the ceremony to being. The younger apprentices sat down outside their den, watching Swallowpaw with envious eyes, wishing they were being made warriors alongside their denmate.

Nightcloud pushed her way out of the warriors' den and glanced around the camp. Seeing her daughter sitting at the base of the High Ledge, the black warrior pelted across the grass to join the apprentice.

"Oh, why did no one tell me you were being made a warrior today!" the she-cat meowed, covering Swallowpaw with licks as she tried to make her daughter presentable.

Swallowpaw ducked out from under her mother's reach. "I look fine!" she mewed, catching the pride in the warrior's eyes. "I didn't know I was being made a warrior today. Cherryfall decided it was time and told Bramblestar I was ready."

Nightcloud nodded proudly. "Of course it's time!" she meowed. She nuzzled Swallowpaw gently, a quiet purr rumbling in her chest. "You'll be a great warrior!"

Satisfied that his Clan was gathered below the edge, Bramblestar cleared his throat, reading to begin the ceremony. "We are gathered here today for one of the most special occasions. One of our apprentices has completed her training and is ready to become a warrior."

Swallowpaw sat up straight, trying to look confident as her Clanmates stared at her.

"Cherryfall, do you believe Swallowpaw is ready to become a warrior?" the dark tabby leader asked.

The ginger warrior nodded. "I do."

Bramblestar wrapped his tail around his paws. "Then I ask StarClan to look down on this apprentice. She has worked hard to understand the ways of our noble code." He glanced down at Swallowpaw, meeting her eyes. "Do you promise to uphold the warrior code, even at the cost of your life?"

"Yes," the apprentice squeaked, pushing down a wave of nervousness.

"From this day forth, you shall be known as Swallowflight," Bramblestar meowed. "May StarClan honor your determination and strong will."

"Swallowflight!" Swallowflight!" her Clanmates cheered, Nightcloud loudest of all.

Raising her head proudly, the new warrior met the gazes of her Clanmates. They had accepted her again. They trusted her. She had proven that she was loyal. Newtpaw meant nothing to her anymore. All that mattered now was being the best warrior she could be. Now that she was a warrior, nothing could stand in her way, right?


	7. Chapter 7

_**(A/N: What? Tansy actually updated twice in two days? What a surprise.**_

_**How could anyone forget about poor sweet little Eaglekit? I'm ashamed of you! JK. Honestly, I almost forgot about him, too. I guess that happens when you write in a character who's only purpose is to die.)**_

Chapter 7

"Listen to me, Streampaw. I'm trying to help you," the skinny brown tabby meowed smoothly, keeping his amber gaze locked on the medicine cat apprentice.

Streampaw lashed her tail, unsheathing her claws menacingly. "I don't want to hear anything you have to say to me."

The tabby tom's eyes widened, giving the she-cat a hurt look. "Why not? Don't you trust your father?"

"No, I don't," she hissed. Streampaw stood on the icy grass on the dark forest floor, glaring at her father. This was the fourth night in a row Onestar had appeared in her dream, attempting to persuade his daughter to trust him. The tabby she-cat was having none of it, refusing to listen to the thin tom. She could tell he was growing more annoyed with each passing night, and was almost forcing himself to remain calm. Streampaw knew the tom was up to no good, and she wished he would just leave her alone. She would never trust him. Ever.

Onestar drew a front paw over his ear, smoothing a tuft of fur. "Why won't you listen to me? I'm only trying to get to know my daughter. Can you honestly blame a father for wanting to know his kit?"

"I doubt that's all your doing," Streampaw growled. "You're probably going to try and turn me against my mother, blaming her for everything. You think I don't know this is the Dark Forest? Good cats don't end up here, you know."

"This is most certainly not the Dark Forest!" Onestar meowed, shaking his head quickly. "We're just in a secluded part of StarClan."

The tabby she-cat rolled her eyes. "You're lying to me. You think I'm just a dumb kit who doesn't understand what's going on. I know exactly where we are, and I know why you keep bringing me here. You can't trick me, Onestar."

Wrapping his tail around his paws, Onestar took a deep breath. "I don't think you're just a kit, Streampaw," he mewed smoothly. "I know you're practically full-grown and are turning into an excellent medicine cat. Don't you believe that, dear?"

"Don't call me that," Streampaw snarled. "And don't patronize me!"

She whirled around and stalked away from the tom, pushing her way through the undergrowth. The tabby she-cat never wanted to see her father again. She was sick of hearing him speak to her like she was a helpless kit in the nursery. He tried to sound like a kind parent hurt because he wasn't able to see his kits, but she wasn't buying it. Onestar was up to something, and Streampaw had no desire to find out what it was.

"You can't stop me from seeing you!" the tom called after her. "You should be more like your sister. Swallowflight actually talks to me!"

Streampaw woke with a start, nearly jumping out of her nest. Heaving for breath, her eyes darted around the den quickly. She sighed with relief upon seeing she was safe in the apprentices' den. She was away from that dark and dreary forest, far away from her father.

Pale sunlight was beginning to poke through the woven branches that formed the den. Careful not to wake the other apprentices, Streampaw silently stood up and made her way out into the clearing, raising her face to bask in the warmth of the leaf-fall sun. ThunderClan was just beginning to wake up, and the sound of yawning cats filled Streampaw's ears. Her sister was sitting in the center of camp, ears pricked as she heard her Clanmates beginning to move around.

The medicine cat apprentice stared at Swallowflight, a nervous feeling pricking her pelt. Did her sister really talk to Onestar? Surely the black she-cat didn't listen to the skinny tabby. Onestar was a threat, not someone that they should be friends with. Shaking her head quickly, the apprentice turned and trotted toward Jayfeather's den.

"Jayfeather?" she called into the mouth of the rocky crevice.

The dark gray tom poked his head out of the den, his soft fur still ruffled as if he had just gotten out of his nest. "Morning already?" he asked.

Streampaw nodded. "Yes," she mewed. "It's sunny. I think it's going to be a nice day."

"Excellent!" the tom replied. "That means we can go herb hunting."

The tabby apprentice didn't respond, the thought of her father still clouding her mind. She sent her sister another glance, getting the nagging feeling that maybe Onestar was trying to destroy both their lives.

"Streampaw?" Jayfeather asked. "Is there something wrong?"

"Wha- no, nothing's wrong," the apprentice mewed hurriedly. "I was just thinking."

The medicine cat narrowed his eyes thoughtfully, but didn't say anything. He pushed past his apprentice and padded over to the fresh-kill pile, snatching a plump mouse. "You'd better eat," he called back. "You can't collect herbs on an empty belly!"

Streampaw pulled her eyes away from her sister and followed her mentor to the pile of prey. "Yes, Jayfeather," she mewed. Scanning the prey, she selected a sparrow and turned to go with her mentor back to his den. Movement from the center of camp caught her eye. Turning, she saw Ivypool approaching Swallowflight. The white-and-silver deputy meowed something to the black she-cat, who nodded and opened her mouth to reply. A moment later she came bounding over to Streampaw, her amber eyes gleaming with excitement.

"I completed my vigil!" Swallowflight meowed happily, flicking her tail joyfully.

"Good for you," Streampaw replied. "You must be awfully tired now."

The black warrior shook her head. "The crisp air kept me wide awake. I could go on the dawn patrol and still be awake when I got back!"

The medicine cat apprentice shook her head in amusement. "What did Ivypool say to you?" she asked.

"Oh, she said I was allowed to take a nap if I needed it," Swallowflight meowed. "I'd rather doing something productive, though. What are you doing today?"

"Herb hunting," Streampaw replied. "Jayfeather's low on poppy seeds, chervil, borage…and some other things."

The warrior nodded. "Does he need an extra paw? That sounds like a lot for two cats to carry."

Streampaw shrugged. "I'm sure he wouldn't mind the extra help."

"Great!" Swallowflight mewed. "I'll go tell Jayfeather I'm coming with."

The apprentice watched her sister bound over to the dark gray tom, wondering how the black she-cat could still be so wide awake. She certainly didn't seem the least bit tired. _Maybe she wasn't alone last night_, Streampaw thought. _Onestar was only in my dream a short while. Is it possible he was talking with Swallowflight first? _


	8. Chapter 8

_**(A/N: Hey, sorry there hasn't been an update in two weeks. As most of you know, I'm in college. This week is finals week, so last week was when all the big semester projects were due. I was planning to update this, but the four essays I had to write had to take priority. I should be able to write a few chapters this week, though.)**_

Chapter 8

Swallowflight's jaws were stretched in a large yawn. The black she-cat was tired out, her muscles aching after a long day of herb collecting and hunting patrols. She had finally retired to the warriors' den, finding a spare nest and flopping down on it with a great sigh, too tired to even shove the fallen twigs out of the mossy nest.

"Hey, you did great today," Cinderheart meowed, padding into the den to curl up in her nest. "Bramblestar was shocked that you volunteered for that patrol."

"I just wanted to help the Clan," the young warrior mewed. "I've got a lot to prove."

The gray tabby she-cat nodded as she kneaded the moss in her nest. "Yes, but you could have taken today a bit easier. We would have understood. We've all had our vigils and know how tired we felt the next day!"

Swallowflight's eyes drooped as she laid her head on her paws. "I just want to serve the Clan. There's no room for laziness."

"No, but there's room for common sense," Cinderheart purred. "Now get some sleep. I'm sure Ivypool will have you busy tomorrow!"

"Sounds like a plan," Swallowflight mewed, closing her eyes and feeling the warm wave of sleep wash over her.

The black she-cat instantly found herself in a cool forest, dark shadowed sweeping the grassy ground. Swallowflight pricked her ears, listening to the sound of the night. Her ears were met with stony silence, no sound floating in her direction. Swallowflight trotted forward, keeping her eyes set in from on her, not daring to glance around as she walked. The she-cat hurried along a dirt path, worn from so many cats having trodden over it to a small clearing where the trees parted just enough for the cats below to see the solid black night sky.

Pushing her way into the clearing, Swallowflight was pleased to see a skinny brown tabby waiting for her. His amber eyes met hers as she padded confidently over to him. Gently, she rubbed her jaw along his side, a low purr rumbling within her.

"You came," the tom meowed. "I was afraid you would not."

"Why wouldn't I?" the she-cat asked, sitting down in front of the tom. "I've visited you every night for the past quarter moon."

The tabby tom flicked his tail warily. "I was afraid your sister might have said something."

"Streampaw? I haven't told her I've been visiting you. She'd be so mad if she knew!" Swallowflight meowed.

"I tried visiting her dreams again," the tom meowed, "but she wants nothing to do with me. All I want is to get to know my daughters. I don't know why she thinks I must have some other motive."

The ThunderClan she-cat shrugged. "I didn't trust you at first, Onestar. It's hard to gain the trust of someone you've never met and have only heard bad things about."

Onestar blinked slowly, staring at his daughter. "Do _you _trust me?"

Swallowflight swallowed. "Well, I have come to see you at night. I don't know if I really trust you, though. I don't know! It's just kind of nice getting to know my father."

"That's what I'm hoping Streampaw would think, but she won't be persuaded," the tom meowed. "I think she was even angrier the second time I saw her than the first."

"She'll come around," the black she-cat mewed. "I could talk to her if you want. I could tell her you're not so bad as everyone says."

Onestar shook his head. "She won't believe you. She's very headstrong." He blinked, tipping his head to one side. "She got that from me. You take after your mother more than her. At least you try to see the good in others and are willing to trust."

"Streampaw does seem rather headstrong," Swallowflight meowed thoughtfully. "I used to be more headstrong when I was younger."

"But that was not who you are- that was you in love," Onestar argued. "Cats will act differently when they love someone, especially if they know it's wrong. Once you got over Newtpaw, your entire attitude changed and you became this strong, kind, loyal warrior that your Clan respects."

Swallowflight ducked her head, feeling slightly embarrassed at her father's praise. "I have tried my best to prove I'm loyal."

The former WindClan leader narrowed his eyes. "Are you really over Newtpaw, then? I know you really liked him."

"I…I've tried not to think about him," Swallowflight admitted. "I don't want to know if I'm over him or not."

"It's a shame Bramblestar and Rowanstar wouldn't let you be together," Onestar meowed. "Newtpaw seemed like a nice young tom. I was sorry to see you two forced apart."

"You were watching us?" the she-cat gasped, her green eyes widening.

The tom nodded. "Of course! I've been doing nothing but watching over my daughters since I died." He paused, sighing softly. "And it hurt seeing you so upset about not being allowed to see Newtpaw."

Swallowflight blinked, trying not to picture the dark gray tom in her mind. "I really liked him, didn't I?" she mewed. "Maybe I still do. Is that wrong?"

"Love is never wrong," Onestar meowed. "What is wrong is keeping two cats who love each other apart. If you truly love Newtpaw and he truly loves you, then you should be together."

"But it's been three moons and I've tried my best to forget him," the she-cat meowed. "I can't just turn my back on my Clan for a tom- not after trying my best to regain my Clanmates' trust!"

The tabby unsheathed his claws, digging them into the cool grass. "They should not turn their back on love. The warrior code is not infallible, Swallowflight. It can be wrong. Remember, it was created by cats, and cats aren't perfect. No one is. How then can we be certain that what's in the code is right and good?"

Swallowflight stared down at her paws, thinking over what her father was saying. "But the warrior code has been in place for generations. We can't just turn our backs on it."

"And why not?" Onestar asked. "As apprentices you and Newtpaw recognized that the rule forbidding you from being together was outdated. You made a plan to become leaders and change the code. Why can't you do that? Are you just going to let your life be dominated by rules that aren't fair and should have been abolished ages ago?"

The black she-cat shuffled her paws. "It was a long time ago when I wanted to change the warrior code. I was young and blinded by love. Now I'm older and wiser. I understand why the rules were put into place."

"So you are willing to be unhappy for the rest of your life because of outdated rules, when you could be happy with the one you love?" Onestar asked. "Don't settle for unhappiness, Swallowflight. The warrior code is wrong and needs to be thrown out. The Clans don't need it anymore. Be the cat who changes things and makes a difference!"

Swallowflight met her father's eyes, surprised to see the anger and passion burning in the amber orbs. Her father was serious about her making a change, and he said it was alright if she and Newtpaw were together. Was it really possible that the warrior code could be wrong?


	9. Chapter 9

_**(A/N: So who thinks Onestar is honestly just wanting his daughter to be happy? Hm...**_

_**Windflight13- soon. In the books it appears that medicine cat training takes longer than warrior training. That's why Swallowflight got her name first.)**_

Chapter 9

"Kestrelflight said I'm learning herbs really fast," Doepaw boasted, puffing out her chest with pride.

"That's nothing!" Nightpaw squealed. "Littlecloud says I can get a thorn out of a paw like it's not trouble at all!"

Streampaw purred softly as she listened to the younger medicine cat apprentices talk about their training. The WindClan she-cat was plucky and full of energy, while the ShadowClan tom was more reserved. Tonight, however, the black tom's eyes were shining with joy under the light of the full moon.

"Just think that someday you'll be as good of a medicine cat as Littlecloud," the tabby she-cat mewed, flicking Nightpaw with her tail.

Doepaw glanced at the older apprentice, her tortoiseshell fur fluffed up against the chilly night air. "Do you think I'll be as good as Kestrelflight?" she asked. "I'm trying really hard!"

The ThunderClan cat nodded. "Of course you'll be as good as Kestrelflight!" she assured the young she-cat. "You both will be great medicine cats."

"Are you going to be as good as Jayfeather?" Nightpaw asked, his amber eyes wide with curiosity.

"I hope so," Streampaw mewed. "He's brilliant. If I'm even half as good as he is I'll be thrilled."

The WindClan apprentice tipped her head to one side, watching the tabby carefully. "I think you'll be even better than Jayfeather!" she announced. "Because you're nicer than him! Everyone will like you because you don't snap!"

Streampaw twitched her whiskers, amused by Doepaw's proclamation. "Well, I don't know about being better than him. Jayfeather's pretty impressive."

A flash of movement caught the apprentice's eye. A black shape was waving around between the cluster of cats gathered on the island. Streampaw narrowed her eyes, losing the shape as the cat disappeared behind a group of RiverClan elders. The tabby leaped to her paws, stepping away from the medicine cat apprentices.

"Excuse me, you two," she mewed quickly. "There's someone I need to talk to."

"Is it a cat from a different Clan?" Doepaw asked.

"Why can't you just talk to us?" Nightpaw meowed. "We're cool!"

Streampaw tapped the tom's head gently with her tail. "I'm just going to talk to my sister. I'll be back before the leaders call the start of the Gathering."

The tabby she-cat turned away from the apprentices and bounded around the outskirts of the large group of cats huddled together. She skidded to a halt once she reached the opposite end of the island, nearing the line of old pine trees that dotted the land before giving away to the water's edge. Raising her head to scent the air, Streampaw caught the strong scent of her sister, just beyond the trees. Silently, the she-cat ducked underneath the low branches of a nearby tree, crawling with her belly against the ground so the tough needles wouldn't pierce her fur.

"You're sure no one saw us?" a low voice rasped from a short distance away.

Streampaw scooted forward, peering out from under the tree. Swallowflight was standing on the shoreline, balancing on smooth gray pebbles as water lapped over her fur. A large dark gray tom was sitting in front of her, his fluffy tail wrapped around his paws.

_She's seeing Newtpaw again! _Streampaw realized with a shock. _I just came to ask if she wanted to sit up by the medicine cats and I find her talking to Newtpaw! I can't believe this!_

The black she-cat purred, moving her body closer to the tom's. "Don't worry, Newtclaw. I made sure no one was watching."

"What about Hazelleaf?" Newtclaw pressed. "You know she still doesn't trust you. What if she saw?"

"She's not here tonight," Swallowflight meowed. "I promise no one saw me."

Streampaw narrowed her eyes. _No one except for me, _she thought. _What are you doing, Swallowflight? You said you were over him!_

Newtclaw relaxed his muscles, heaving a long sigh. "Good. You know I hate having to meet in secret like this. It's just like when we were apprentices."

"I know," Swallowflight mewed, "but I had to see you again. I never stopped loving you, you know. I tried to forget, but I couldn't."

"You tried to forget about me?" the tom asked, his blue eyes widening with hurt. "I didn't even try to forget you. I've made it a point to show Rowanstar I think he's wrong about us and the warrior code. We had a plan, remember?"

_You were apprentices! _Streampaw screamed internally. _You can't be serious about that dumb plan!_

The ThunderClan warrior shuffled her paws. "Did I mention my father's been visiting my dreams?" she mewed.

"He is?" Newtclaw asked. "Is that a good thing? I thought you didn't like him because he caused a war with ThunderClan."

"He was only fighting for his kits," Swallowflight mewed. "I can't fault him for that. Now he just wants to get to know me and Streampaw better."

The ShadowClan tom snorted. "And I bet Streampaw's _thrilled _with that."

_What's that supposed to mean? _ the tabby apprentice hissed to herself. _Onestar is a horrible cat! I have no desire to get to know him!_

"Streampaw was furious," Swallowflight replied. "She won't even give him a chance to speak. She wants nothing to do with him.

The medicine cat apprentice lashed her tail, glaring at her sister. _And you shouldn't either! He banished our mother, nearly let Crowfeather kill her, and led attacked against ThunderClan- and one was at a Gathering!_

"Do you let him speak?" Newtclaw asked.

The black she-cat hesitated, glancing toward the water's edge. "I didn't want to, but then he said he had been watching us. He doesn't think it's right that Rowanstar and Bramblestar won't let us be together. He says nothing should ever get in the way of true love."

"He's very smart," the ShadowClan to mused.

"I think he just wants me to be happy," Swallowflight mewed. "He said not to give up on my plan. If I want to be with you, then I should work hard to become leader and change the warrior code."

"Will you?" Newtclaw asked, his eyes shining hopefully.

Swallowflight shuffled her paws, staring down at them for a long moment before looking up at the tom. "My father is right. The warrior code is outdated, and it's up to us to change it. We can change the rules and be together. Nothing should ever stop true love."

The tom pressed his face into Swallowflight's fur, a deep purr erupting from his fur. "I knew they couldn't keep us apart!" he mewed. "Love will always find a way!"

Streampaw's eyes widened. Quickly, she scooted back and out from under the tree. In shock, she shook her head madly. Her sister couldn't be serious! She was actually listening to their father? The tabby almost couldn't believe it. Onestar was telling her sister lies, and Swallowflight was listening!

"How could you?" she whispered, turning away from the tree line. "How could you ever listen to Onestar? He's going to tear you apart."


	10. Chapter 10

_**(A/N: I'm going to be on vacation from May 4-21, so I won't be updating this for a while. I will continue when I get back.)**_

Chapter 10

Swallowflight ducked under a thick bramble bush. "Are you guys coming?" she called back at her patrol.

A cream-colored tom pushed his way behind her. "I am going to get thorns in my fur!" he grumbled, shaking his pelt. "Are you sure you scented a rabbit warren?"

"Yes, Berrynose," the black she-cat meowed. "It's definitely this way."

A brown-and-cream tom and a tortoiseshell she-cat joined the two warriors. "We'd better get those rabbits," Molewhisker meowed. "Leaf-bare is nearly here and rabbits would give everyone a good meal before the snow comes."

The tortoiseshell she-cat nodded seriously. "Mama said we're going to be hungry when it gets really cold."

"That's right, Brindlepaw," Berrynose meowed to his apprentice. "All the prey either starves or hides down where it's warm. We need to eat well now so we can last through leaf-bare."

"And I know I scented a rabbit warren this way!" Swallowflight mewed. "It's just beyond that old maple tree with the rotting branches."

Molewhisker narrowed his eyes. "Usually rabbits make their home on the moor. I'm surprised they settled here in the forest."

"Well, I'm glad they did," Berrynose purred. "That means good eating for us!"

The cream-furred tom pushed to the front of the patrol and marched through the undergrowth. He held his head high as he led the patrol in the direction of the maple tree.

Brindlepaw trotted alongside Swallowflight, her small paws pattering gently over the fallen twigs. "Are you liking being a warrior?" she asked.

The black she-cat nodded. "It's great," she meowed. "I love going on patrols and hunting and guarding our camp from trespassers. It's nice feeling important to the Clan."

"I hope you're sleeping better in the warriors' den," the apprentice squeaked. "In the nights before the ceremony you made a lot of noise in your sleep. Were you having nightmares?"

A wave of embarrassment washed over Swallowflight. Could the younger she-cat guess the warrior had been meeting her father in her dreams? Shaking her head quickly, she regained her composure and cast the apprentice a friendly glance. "I'm sleeping just fine. No nightmares at all."

Brindlepaw twitched her tail, not looking convinced. "I've seen Streampaw staring at you. She looks so serious. I think something is wrong and you aren't telling me what it is."

The mention of her sister surprised Swallowflight. Surely Streampaw didn't know she was still seeing Onestar at night. The one time Onestar had brought them together Streampaw had made sure she and Swallowflight both stormed off together. The tabby she-cat had no reason to think Swallowflight and Onestar were getting along or that she actually liked talking with her father.

"I'm fine, Brindlepaw," Swallowflight meowed. "Really."

"Are you two just going to talk the whole time?" Berrynose growled, leaping onto a large root branching out from the bottom of an old maple tree. "You'll scare every piece of prey in the forest!"

The apprentice ducked her head sheepishly. "Sorry, Berrynose."

Swallowflight raised her head to scent the air. "The rabbits are here," she meowed. "They must be gathered beneath the tree."

Molewhisker nodded. "Good scenting. I see there is more than one hole leading under the tree. We should each take an entrance and go in. If we do that we can trap the rabbits so they can't escape."

"That's good thinking, son," Berrynose meowed, a flash of pride showing in his eyes. "I'll take this entrance by me. Molewhisker, you take the one between the two smaller roots, Swallowflight can take the one dug against the base of the tree, and Brindlepaw can take the one out by that far root." The tom motioned with his tail to each entrance, pointing out where his Clanmates should go.

Swallowflight sprang over to her hole, bending her head down to peer inside. It was dark, so she could not see down, but the faint sound of rabbit claws scratching across the dirt met her ears.

"Ready?" Berrynose called. "Let's go!"

The black warrior raced down the rabbit hole, colliding with the smaller, fluffy body of a rabbit. She tore into the creature's flesh with her claws, biting at it sharply. Once the animal fell limp she tossed it to the side and flung herself deeper into the warren. She caught another rabbit as it tried to flee, grabbing it with her paws and thrusting it's head back against the hard bark wall of the tree.

"Ow-ow! Someone help me!" a shrill voice cried, her voice echoing through the warren.

"Brindlepaw!" Berrynose's deeper voiced called. "Where are you?"

Swallowflight swung her head around, trying to make out the outline of cats, but it was too dark to see the apprentice.

"I don't know!" the smaller cat wailed. "A rabbit got my eyes! They hurt!"

The black warrior shoved her way through the den, flinging rabbits away as she searched desperately for Brindlepaw. As she padded quickly in the dark her paws slipped in something wet and slimy, and the sharp scent of blood hit her nose.

"Swallowflight, is that you?" Brindlepaw's pitiful mew sounded from nearby. "Help me, please!"

"I found her!" Swallowflight called back toward Berrynose. "She's bleeding!"

The warrior grabbed Brindlepaw by her scruff and hauled her back the way she had come. She turned around and dragged the apprentice up the narrow slope that led up to the forest. Reaching the world above, she dropped Brindlepaw gently on the grass. With a gasp of horror she saw the apprentice was bleeding from her eye sockets.

"Why can't I see you?" the apprentice wailed. "My eyes hurt so bad!"

Berrynose and Molewhisker raced up the slope and skidded to a halt beside Swallowflight.

"Her eyes!" Berrynose cried.

Brindlepaw swung her head around. "What's wrong with them? Why can't I see?"

Molewhisker and Swallowflight exchanged horrified glances. "We've got to get her back to Jayfeather!" the brown-and-cream tom meowed.

Berrynose nodded. "Swallowflight, run on ahead and get your sister and Jayfeather. Let them know Brindlepaw's been injured."

With a nod the she-cat turned and raced away from her patrol. Her paws barely touched the earth as she pelted toward the camp. The hunt was all but forgotten, the rabbits they had caught still lying dead in the warren. All that mattered now was getting Brindlepaw help.

The she-cat burst through the entrance of camp, alerting her Clanmates of danger. As the cats in the camp stared at her with wide eyes, the warrior fought for breath.

"We need Jayfeather and Streampaw!" she gasped. "Brindlepaw's been hurt!"

A tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat standing by the fresh-kill pile stopped dead in her tracks, her eyes widening. "What happened to my daughter?" Blossomfall demanded.

"Her eyes!" Swallowflight panted. "They're gone!"

The apprentice's mother stared at the warrior, trying to understand what she said. After a brief hesitation she sprang away from the fresh kill and raced out of the camp, calling Brindlepaw's name.

Streampaw poked her head out of the medicine cats' den. "Brindlepaw's been hurt?" she asked, hurrying out of the den. "Her eyes scratched by rabbits?"

Swallowflight nodded. "She can't see and she's terrified!"

The tabby narrowed her eyes. "Jayfeather went to ask Willowshine if he could exchange catmint for daisy leaves. I guess I'm on my own. I'll have to save Brindlepaw myself."

"Please help her," Swallowflight mewed.

Streampaw straightened herself, looking determined. "I'll do what I can. Oh StarClan, help me heal Brindlepaw."


	11. Chapter 11

_**(A/N: Sorry it took a while to update. After my vacation my family's internet was down. But we got a new internet provider so now the story may continue!)**_

Chapter 11

"It's alright, Brindlepaw," Streampaw mewed soothingly. "Eat the poppy seeds. It will help numb the pain."

"How could this happen to her?" Brindlepaw's mother hissed, lashing her tail. "She should have been safe! Berrynose should have been watching her!"

The tabby medicine cat apprentice didn't look up at Blossomfall, who was standing behind her. The tortoiseshell warrior refused to leave her daughter's side, even when Streampaw insisted Blossomfall should see her other daughter, Maplepaw.

"It was a freak accident," Streampaw meowed, brushing her tail gently along Brindlepaw's flank. "The patrol was down in a rabbit warren. It was dark and the rabbits were fighting for their lives."

"I can't believe Berrynose would put my daughter in danger like that!" Blossomfall cried. "He should have known better!"

The tabby she-cat sighed, shaking her head. She knew it probably wasn't a brilliant idea to go down into the warren and fight in complete darkness, but that didn't matter now. All that mattered was making sure Brindlepaw would heal. "Can you still feel pain?" she asked, touching the apprentice's head with her nose.

"I can't feel anything now," the tortoiseshell apprentice mewed quietly, her voice slurred. "I feel all numb."

"Good, that means the poppy seeds are working," Streampaw meowed. "Try and get some sleep now. You'll feel better later."

Brindlepaw laid her chin on her paws. "Will I be able to see again?"

The tabby she-cat froze, unsure of how to respond. "Um…if StarClan wills it," she mewed quickly, swallowing nervously as she stared at the apprentice's empty eye sockets.

Sure that the apprentice would sleep, Streampaw led Blossomfall out of the den. "I think she'll live," she meowed to the worried mother."

"But she'll never be a warrior now," Blossomfall fretted. "My poor little kit…"

A brown-and-cream colored tom padded up to the two she-cats, leading a trembling long-furred cream colored she-cat. "How is she?" Molewhisker meowed, his blue eyes round with worry.

Streampaw dipped her head to the warrior. "Her eyes are gone, but she'll heal. I'll keep watch to make sure infection doesn't set in, but she'll be alright."

"Is my sister blind?" the cream-colored she-cat asked, standing pressed up against Molewhisker.

"Yes, Maplepaw" Streampaw admitted. "The rabbit must have scratched her eyes several times. The eyes just aren't there anymore."

Blossomfall closed her eyes, burying her face in Molewhisker's side. Maplepaw did the same, shaking in disbelief and horror.

The medicine cat apprentice could not find the words to comfort the family. Feeling awkward and slightly embarrassed, the she-cat excused herself and padded slowly away from the three cats. Scanning the camp, she saw Swallowflight and Berrynose standing in front of Bramblestar and Ivypool- the leader and deputy looking agitated as the two warriors gave their side of the story.

When the dark brown tabby leader spied the medicine cat apprentice, he beckoned her over with his tail. Sighing, Streampaw padded over to the four cats, dipping her head to Bramblestar and Ivypool.

"How is she?" Ivypool meowed, meeting Streampaw's nervous gaze.

"Well, her eyes are gone, but she'll live," the tabby replied.

Bramblestar wrapped his tail around his paws. "So she's blind."

"Yes," Streampaw swallowed.

The silver-and-white tabby deputy turned back to Berrynose and Swallowflight. "What on earth possessed you to take an apprentice into a rabbit warren?" she hissed. "What possessed any of you to go into a rabbit warren?"

"It's almost leaf-bare," Swallowflight hissed. "Those rabbits would keep us well fed. I thought it was worth the risk."

"Risk of what?" Bramblestar growled. "An apprentice losing her eyes? Berrynose, I can't believe you'd allow your apprentice to go into danger like that!"

The cream-colored warrior flinched from his former mentor's words. "I thought she would be okay. She can hunt rabbits above ground just fine!"

"Correction," Ivypool meowed," she _could _hunt rabbits above ground just fine. Do you think she'll be able to now?"

"Look," Swallowflight meowed, "it was my idea. If you're going to blame anyone, blame me."

Bramblestar closed his eyes for a long moment. "No," he meowed. "Berrynose is a senior warrior. He knew better than to risk an apprentice getting hurt like that. It's his fault for taking control of his hunting patrol and allowing this to happen."

Berrynose ducked his head, nodding slowly. "I'm sorry, Bramblestar."

"Don't apologize to me," the leader hissed. "Apologize to Blossomfall, Molewhisker, and Maplepaw."

The warrior sighed heavily, dipping his head before turning away from the leader and deputy. Streampaw watched Berrynose pad away, his head hung low as he approached his grieving Clanmates.

"Are you sure she'll be alright?" Swallowflight asked, bringing Streampaw's attention back to her sister.

"I'll have Jayfeather check her when he gets back, but I'm pretty sure Brindlepaw will be fine," the medicine cat apprentice mewed.

"ThunderClan is lucky to have you here," Bramblestar meowed. "Jayfeather has trained you well. I'm sure you've done everything you can for Brindlepaw."

Streampaw stared at her paws, slightly embarrassed at the leader's compliment. "Thank you, Bramblestar," she meowed.

Ivypool stood up, shaking her pelt roughly. "Well, I'm going to talk to Molewhisker and Blossomfall. They'll need some comforting words."

"Maplepaw will, too," Streampaw added. "She looked pretty shaken up."

Ivypool flicked her tail to acknowledge the apprentice's words as she strolled over to Blossomfall and Molewhisker."

"I'll be sure to tell Jayfeather that you treated Brindlepaw all on your own," Bramblestar meowed. "I'm sure he'll be proud of you."

"I just hope Brindlepaw won't be upset that I couldn't save her vision," Streampaw sighed, feeling a wave of sadness wash over her.

The leader touched her shoulder with his tail. "Her eyes were gone. Not even Jayfeather could have saved her vision."

The apprentice nodded. "I know, but what if he would have done something different? What if I messed up?"

"Have confidence, Streampaw," Bramblestar meowed. "You're shaping up to be a great medicine cat."

Swallowflight nodded. "He's right. You did all you could for Brindlepaw. She's not in pain and you made a poultice to stop infection from spreading. She'll be fine."

The medicine cat apprentice nodded. "I hope so. For now all we can do is hope StarClan gives her peace."


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

"So Bramblestar and Ivypool aren't angry with you?" the lithe tabby tom asked, his amber eyes narrowed as he stared at the solid black she-cat.

"No," Swallowflight mewed, staring down at her paws. "They blame Berrynose for what happened to Brindlepaw. They think he should have had the sense to keep Brindlepaw safe."

The tabby nodded. "So why are you feeling guilty? He was the senior warrior on that patrol. He made the final decision. You had a good idea to hunt the rabbits, but Berrynose was the one who ordered Brindlepaw to go down into the warren with you. She could have stayed above ground to chase any rabbits that fled."

"You really think I had a good idea?" the she-cat asked. "I just thought since there were so many rabbits that we'd have a good meal before the cold comes."

"That was smart," the tom agreed. "You were only thinking of your Clanmates. You wanted them to be fed. There's nothing wrong with that."

Swallowflight straightened up, a feeling of relief washing over her. "That's right," she meowed slowly. "I was thinking of fully bellies and warm prey for everyone. What happened to Brindlepaw wasn't my fault. Thanks, Onestar, for making me realize that."

Onestar nodded seriously. "Now that you're feeling less guilty, let's talk about Newtclaw. You've only met with him once since the Gathering. Why?"

"Because I feel bad about going behind Bramblestar's back," Swallowflight explained. "I love Newtclaw, but Bramblestar and Rowanstar told us not to see each other. They're our leaders. They're supposed to know what's right, and I'm supposed to listen. I'm not that hot-headed arrogant apprentice that didn't care about anything else other than Newtclaw. I have to be responsible now and be careful about seeing him."

"You have grown up a lot, I'll give you that," her father meowed, "but you still have growing up to do. You need to realize that Bramblestar and Rowanstar are just cats. They aren't perfect. They don't know everything. They aren't always right. StarClan may have put them in power, but aren't they the same group that also put Tigerstar and Brokenstar in power? Do you think StarClan is always knows what's best?"

The black warrior narrowed her eyes. "I…um…StarClan probably thought that power would make Tigerstar and Brokenstar more responsible. What does that have to do with me and Newtclaw?"

Onestar sighed, unsheathing his claws and burying them in the cold, dewy grass. "I'm trying to make you see that leaders don't always do what is right and that StarClan doesn't always do what's right. How could putting murderers in power be what's right? Brokenstar and Tigerstar weren't simply going to give up trying to take over the forest and stop killing innocent cats just because they were leaders. Bramblestar and Rowanstar didn't become infinitely smarter and wiser just because they were leaders. They are just cats. StarClan is just cats. Sometimes they're right, and sometimes they're wrong. It's because they are sometimes wrong that we can't trust them when they're right. They made a rule saying cats that love each other can't be together if they're in different Clans, but they also made a rule that deputies succeed their leaders, no matter what. How can we trust them after everything bad StarClan has done or everything bad leaders have done?"

Swallowflight tipped her head to one side. "So you're saying that the few times that StarClan and leaders have messed up should overrule everything they've done right?"

"Exactly!" the brown tabby hissed. "Don't feel bad about going behind Bramblestar's back. He's not smart. He's not wise. He makes mistakes just like every other leader, and so does Rowanstar. They don't know what's best. Only you know what's best for you."

"And what's best for me is being with Newtclaw?" the warrior mewed.

Onestar nodded. "If that's what makes you happy, then how can it be wrong? You loving Newtclaw isn't hurting anyone. You being apart from Newtclaw makes you both sad. Being apart from the one you love is wrong."

The she-cat pondered over the tom's words. "Do you think it's wrong that you're separated from Mother? Or Whitetail?"

"I think there are a lot of things wrong with where I am," Onestar growled. "But never mind that. Just go and see your Newtclaw. Figure out a way to be together."

"I will, Father," Swallowflight meowed. "He and I will be together someday."

The tom's amber eyes brightened. "Promise?"

She nodded. "I promise."

"Why does the ShadowClan border always smell so bad?" Sorrelcloud grumbled.

"They eat those putrid frogs and lizards, so what would you expect them so smell like?" Lionblaze replied. "They smell like what they eat."

Swallowflight scanned the border of the two territories, watching for glimpses of movements behind the thick pine trees. "I don't think they smell that bad."

A pale gray tom stomped alongside the patrol. "That's because you probably still love that Newtpaw cat, or whatever his name is now."

"Stormpaw!" Sorrelcloud gasped. "My apprentice will not make accusations like that!"

"But it's probably true!" the tom meowed, flashing a sly glance at Swallowflight.

The black she-cat rolled her eyes, trying to appear nonchalant. "Of course I don't still like Newtclaw. It was just a silly crush."

Lionblaze nodded firmly. "That's it, then. She has no crush on a ShadowClan cat. Now Stormpaw can be quiet and actually obey my daughter."

"I can mentor him on my own," Sorrelcloud meowed. "I don't need your help."

"Yeah, she does," Stormpaw meowed. "She needs all the help she can get."

Swallowflight shook her head in amusement. Sorrelcloud wasn't the best mentor in the world- she was too focused on having fun with her apprentice than actually training him. Stormpaw's brother, on the other paw, wished he had Sorrelcloud as a mentor rather than the very strict Hollyfrost, Sorrelcloud's sister.

A flash of fur caught the black warrior's eye. Turning to glance across the ShadowClan border, she saw a patrol heading her way. The patrol was the same size as the one Swallowflight was one- three warriors and an apprentice.

"So, what do we have here?" a ginger tabby tom meowed calmly. "A group of ThunderClan cats preparing to trespass?"

"Firestorm, back off," Lionblaze meowed, meeting the ShadowClan warrior's gaze. "We're doing a border patrol, just like you."

The tom nodded, not taking his eyes off of the ThunderClan cats. Swallowflight studied the members of his patrol. Firestorm was travelling with a white she-cat Swallowflight recognized from Gatherings, a brown tabby apprentice, and a certain dark gray warrior with brilliant blue eyes.

Newtclaw padded up to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with Firestorm. "How nice it is to see ThunderClan on patrol for once," he meowed coolly. "We thought your border marks were growing stale. I thought for sure it must mean you don't care where we set our marks."

"You'd better not try and take our land!" Stormpaw hissed. "We'll shred you if you do!"

"Quiet!" Sorrelcloud snapped, stepping in front of her apprentice. "You don't decide when we fight."

Firestorm snorted. "Can't control your apprentice? Such a shame. My Pinepaw is the perfect apprentice. Always does as she's told and only speaks when she's permitted."

"Our apprentices are trained to respect their mentors," Newtclaw added.

"Ours are, too," Sorrelcloud growled. "Mine just forgot his manners- much like you ShadowClan cats are."

"Us?" the white she-cat asked, her blue eyes widening with innocence. "We were just having a friendly conversation."

Lionblaze snorted. "Well, let's end the chitchat and be on our ways. I would hate to let Rowanstar think his warriors were getting too friendly with us ThunderClan cats."

Firestorm nodded sharply. "I agree completely. He turned around to face his patrol. "Come along, Blossomstripe, Pinepaw. We won't waste any more time with these crowfood eaters."

"Come along, Sorrelcloud, Stormpaw!" Lionblaze echoed. "_We _won't waste time with these cold-blooded reptiles."

"Oh, good burn," Newtclaw growled, rolling his eyes. "We're so offended."

Swallowflight held her head high, staring at the tom. "You should be."

The tom flicked his tail, the arrogance in his eyes fading. "Whatever."

The she-cat turned away, preparing to follow her Clanmates back to camp. The ShadowClan patrol was leaving, and there was no reason to stay behind.

"Hey, where are you going?" Newtclaw called after her.

Swallowflight glanced back at him. "Back to camp," she hissed quietly. "Where do you think I'm going?"

The dark gray tom twitched his whiskers, amused. He sat down on the grass and wrapped his tail neatly around his paws. "My patrol is gone. Stay and talk for a bit."

The she-cat shifted her paws. Her eyes trailed in the direction her patrol was heading. "Hey, Lionblaze," she called, "I'm going to stay out and hunt for a bit!"

The golden tom waved his tail in acknowledgement, continuing his path back to camp. Satisfied that the patrol was now out of ear-shot, Swallowflight turned back to face Newtclaw.

The tom's eyes were sparkling with joy. "How lucky are we that we were both patrolling the same border?"

"Totally lucky!" Swallowflight purred, strolling up to the tom. "I haven't seen you in a while."

"I know," the tom mewed, licking the top of her head. "Why is that? We could see each other more often than once a quarter moon."

The she-cat tipped her head to one side. "We really could, I guess. So long as we make sure Rowanstar and Bramblestar don't fine out, it should be fine."

Newtclaw snorted. "Who cares if they find out? It's not wrong- and I make a point of telling Rowanstar that every chance I get. I love you and want to be with you. It's not fair that Rowanstar thinks he can keep us apart."

"Leaders aren't always right," Swallowflight murmured, echoing Onestar's words.

"That's exactly right!" the tom exclaimed. "They aren't! So how can they tell us what to do?"

The black she-cat nodded, her pelt beginning to tingle with excitement. "Being together makes us happy. Wouldn't it be wrong to keep us apart?"

"I'm glad you finally agree!" Newtclaw purred. "So can we meet more often?"

"Yes!" Swallowflight meowed. "Who cares what Bramblestar and Rowanstar think? They're wrong about us. We _can _be together."

The ShadowClan tom pressed up against the she-cat, his body shaking from his loud purrs. "And we'll be together forever."


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Streampaw shuffled her paws, squinting her eyes against the icy wind swirling around the high arching hills of the WindClan barrier. "I hope Kestrelflight and Doepaw get here soon," she mewed, shivering.

Nightpaw nodded, his short black fur fluffed up in a vain attempt at keeping warm. "If this is how leaf-bare's going to be, I think I'm going to hate it."

"It isn't that cold," Jayfeather meowed, flicking his tail in annoyance. "Complaining about it will do you no good. What you two need is a brisk run."

"Now, Jayfeather, I agree with them," Littlecloud croaked. His thin tabby fur lay matted against his bony figure. The ShadowClan medicine cat was very old, and Streampaw wasn't sure he'd even be able to make the climb up to the Moonpool, let alone take the long walk back to his territory after.

The ShadowClan apprentice seemed to share the tabby she-cat's concern. He stared up at his mentor with worry glowing in his amber eyes. "Maybe we should stop and rest for a bit," Nightpaw suggested."

"And stay out in this cold?" Littlecloud asked. "I think as soon as Kestrelflight gets here we should hurry. It's so cold it may start snowing before we get back to our nice warm dens."

"I completely agree!" a new voice meowed. Streampaw turned around to see a gray-ish brown tabby bounding in their direction, a small tortoiseshell she-cat following closely behind him.

Jayfeather sighed with relief. "Excellent! We're all here now. Now I don't have to listen to these three complain about a bit of cold."

Doepaw rolled her eyes, shaking her head in amusement. "Your fur is all fluffed up, too. Don't try and tell us you aren't cold."

The ThunderClan medicine cat snorted. "I said no such thing," he muttered, shouldering his way to the front of the group.

"Grumpy," Doepaw mewed under her breath, casting a sly glance at Streampaw. Then tabby medicine cat apprentice tried to hold in a quiet giggle, and nodded in agreement with her young friend.

"What are you waiting for?" Jayfeather called, heading in the direction of the Moonpool. "I thought you were all _freezing_."

* * *

"So are you warmer now?" the ThunderClan medicine cat meowed, sitting down on the cool stony floor of the cave where the Moonpool was sheltered.

Nightpaw nodded enthusiastically. "I'm glad the cave is pretty deep. You can't even feel the wind back here!"

"And my fur can finally lay flat!" Streampaw purred. Her paws had begun to feel numb as the group of medicine cats made their way to the Moonpool. The trek up the rocky cliffs had brought even more wind to fight against the cats, and the stone felt icy under her paws.

Willowshine padded around the medicine cats, her fluffy silver coat still puffed up. "I'm not surprised no one waited for me," she mewed. "I would have met you by the border, but one of the mouse-brained apprentices fell in our stream. Little icicles were stuck to his fur and I had to melt each one before leaving! It's a good thing I was running late, though. I actually had to run!"

"And that kept you warm?" Streampaw meowed.

The RiverClan cat nodded. "It sure did! It helps that fish are still swimming, though. My pelt is still thick and that keeps me plenty warm."

Kestrelflight sat down on the ground, licking his chest rapidly. "I'm from WindClan. We sleep outside all the time in all kinds of weather. WindClan cats aren't supposed to get cold!"

"But this is awful!" Doepaw finished. "Why does it have to be so cold?"

"Because it gives the earth time to relax and prepare for newleaf," Littlecloud meowed, leaning against his apprentice for support. "As cold as it gets, it allows the trees and forest to be even more beautiful when the weather warms again."

Nightpaw nodded, taking in his mentor's words. "I hope the forest is stunning, then. I'd hate for this cold to be all for nothing."

Streampaw sat down on the cave floor, wrapping her tail neatly around her paws. "Are we going to meet with StarClan soon?" she asked, glancing pointedly at Jayfeather.

The dark gray medicine cat nodded seriously. "We are, but there's something I want to do first." Jayfeather paused, his sightless blue eyes narrowing as the cat thought. "This moon my apprentice did something incredible without my help. A young cat had her eyes clawed out by a rabbit when I wasn't there, and Streampaw treated her all by herself. Brindlepaw has no infection and will most likely not have any scarring, thanks to Streampaw. My apprentice has shown herself to be accomplished and competent, and thus is no longer in need of being trained."

"Are you serious?" the tabby she-cat gasped, taken completely by surprise. "Are you sure I'm ready?"

Jayfeather nodded. "I was already sure before Brindlepaw's accident. This just proved that I was right." The medicine cat lifted his head, as if he was looking at StarClan. "I ask our ancestors to look down on my apprentice. She has worked hard to understand the works of a medicine cat and has excelled in healing with patience and kindness. She is ready to be welcomed as a full medicine cat. With this in mind, I hereby name her Streamflower, official medicine cat of ThunderClan."

"Streamflower! Streamflower!" the other medicine cats cheered.

Streamflower glanced at her friends, seeing the looks of approval in the eyes of Willowshine, Littlecloud, and Kestrelflight. Doepaw and Nightpaw looked slightly jealous, but cheered loudly with the others.

"Congratulations, Streamflower," Jayfeather meowed. "You deserve it."

Willowshine pressed her nose gently to the tabby she-cat's head. "Now you must meet with StarClan for the first time as a full medicine cat," she purred.

Streamflower nodded, padding nervously up to the edge of the Moonpool. Bending down, she touched her nose to the cool, starlit water. Instantly she felt herself being taken into a world only a few cats can know. Preparing herself to meet with the great medicine cats of the past, maybe even Yellowfang or Featherwhisker, she found herself blinking in surprise when she was met with complete darkness. Instead of the warm, bright world of StarClan, she found herself in the cold, silent world of a ominous place that no cat should ever go.

_Why have I been sent to the Dark Forest?_ Streamflower thought to herself. _I'm supposed to talk to medicine cats. Where's Goosefeather? Where's Yellowfang? Brambleberry? Anyone?_

Confused and slightly afraid, the tabby she-cat padded toward the only source of light she could see. The quiet rumble of voices floated from an opening in the dense forest. Silently, Streamflower slunk toward the clearing, wondering who she would see on the other side.

"Newtclaw and I have met each other three times in the past quarter moon!" a joyful she-cat's voice meowed. "He and I have never been happier!"

"Excellent!" a tom's voice replied. "Have you two come up with a plan to be together forever?"

Streamflower froze in her pawsteps, immediately recognizing the voices. Peering through the opening, she saw Swallowflight bouncing around Onestar, happily telling their father about her adventures with a ShadowClan tom, completely unaware that her sister was watching.

"I suggested one of us could switch Clans and move in with the other," Swallowflight meowed, "but he wants Rowanstar and Bramblestar to know they're wrong about the warrior code. He wants to-"

The tabby she-cat refused to listen to this any longer. She knew exactly why StarClan had brought her here- to stop her sister from meeting with Onestar. He was completely brainwashing her into thinking she could break the warrior code!"

Streamflower shoved her way into the clearing, storming toward the two cats with anger blazing in her usually gentle amber eyes. "What in the good name of StarClan is going on here?"


	14. Chapter 14

_**(A/N: I'm hoping the person/guest who left a review on SH2 will read this so I can answer her. Yes, I know the names of Squirrelflight's kits have been confirmed to be Sparkpaw and Alderpaw. Yes I know about Fernsong, Sorrelstripe, Hollytuft, Snowbush, etc. But I didn't know that when I started the SH series last October or when I started it's sequel in January. I picked the names for Squirrelflight's kits and the warrior names for Lionblaze's kits and Cloudtail's kits before the Erins confirmed them. But I couldn't just start writing the correct names after already having written complete stories with the cats' other names, nor could I go back and change them since I'd already killed off Fernpaw and one of Squirrelflight's kits. This will have to be considered an alternate universe story so I can use the names I chose before the Erins released the official names.)**_

Chapter 14

Swallowflight's green eyes widened in shock as she stared at her sister, the tabby she-cat marching toward her with a look of fury spread across her face. "I'm…um…talking to our father," she mumbled weakly, glancing down at her paws. She felt a wave of embarrassment at being found out, even though she didn't think she needed to feel this way. After all, Onestar was her father and she should want to talk with him, right?

"Why would you want to talk with him?" Streamflower spat, her tail lashing. "He banished our mother and caused innocent cats to die! He's a good for nothing piece of crowfood!"

Onestar coughed harshly, bringing the tabby she-cat's attention to him. "Daughter, I only wish to get to know my kits. Why do you think there's something wrong with that?"

"You've been telling her to meet with Newtclaw, haven't you?" she hissed. "You're telling her that it's okay to break the code for true love."

Swallowflight hung her head low. That was exactly what her father was saying. "He says the warrior code is outdated and that there's no good reason why Newtclaw and I can't be together," she mewed, avoiding her sister's gaze.

"He's brainwashing you!" Streamflower snapped. "He doesn't care about your feelings! Onestar's only telling you what you want to hear because he has some plan for getting revenge on the Clans or something."

The tabby tom stood to his paws, his amber eyes serious and calm as he met padded toward Streamflower. "I'm shocked that you would suggest I'd want revenge on the Clans," he meowed. "I want nothing of the sort. All I want is for my young daughter to be happy, and Newtclaw makes her happy."

"How do I know you aren't trying to get her to dismantle the warrior code and destroy the Clans from within?" the medicine cat growled. "You tried dismantling them with battles when you were alive and failed. Am I supposed to believe that once you died you realized you were wrong and now are content with watching your kits grow up? I won't believe that for a second. You're probably seething with anger- blaming ThunderClan for taking Nightcloud and your kits away, for not letting you have your way with us. I'm guessing you want to convince Swallowflight and Newtclaw to rise up against their leaders, take control of their Clans, and throw out the warrior code completely, thus destroying our Clans and everything we believe in."

"That's not true!" Swallowflight cried, leaping to her paws. "Onestar doesn't want us to destroy anything. He wants me to be happy, and he's right- there is no good reason why Newtclaw and I can't be together. He only wants us to make our leaders see that relationships between cats from other Clans is fine and right and good. There's no destroying anything!"

Streamflower rolled her eyes. "If you can't see what's really going on you must be blind. This is clearly a trick. Onestar doesn't love either of us and he never will. He never even loved our mother!"

"That's a lie!" Onestar hissed. "I love Nightcloud with all my heart. I love the two of you with all my heart. No father has ever loved their kits more than I love you."

Swallowflight nodded, pressing up against her father. "He's right, Streamflower. He loves us. When he was alive he was only doing what he believed was right. Nightcloud refused to admit that we were his kits and ran away from him. Onestar was only trying to get his family back."

The tabby she-cat snorted. "He had a family- Whitetail and Heathertail. I might believe he loved them, but you will never convince me that he loved us. Have you forgotten it's his fault Eaglekit died? Do you seriously not blame him for our brother's death? What about Breezepelt? He death is on Onestar as well. It's even his fault Heathertail died. Onestar has destroyed his family and he nearly destroyed his Clan. Don't you dare tell me about love. Onestar doesn't love us and he never will."

The former WindClan leader narrowed his eyes, still standing next to Swallowflight. "Heathertail's death is not my fault," he meowed quietly. "She asked to join the battle patrol. She believed I loved Nightcloud and our kits and wanted to help me get you back. She was fighting for her sisters and brother and died the noblest death a warrior could have."

"Did you lie to her," Streamflower growled. "Did you tell her how awful our mother was and that she stole us from you? Did Heathertail honestly think you loved Nightcloud when Whitetail was still alive?"

"Whitetail was dying!" Onestar hissed. "She told me I could find love again. She didn't want me to be lonely."

"But Nightcloud knew you would never love her like you loved Whitetail," the tabby she-cat meowed. "She knew she'd been tricked again, just like with Crowfeather. Heathertail might have believed your lies, but I don't. Anyone who thinks you love us is a fool, my own sister included!"

Swallowflight glared at her sister, her ears lying flat against her head. "I am not a fool! Stop accusing Onestar of things he's innocent of! If you can't see that Onestar is trying to be a good father and get to know us, than you're the fool!"

Streamflower stared at the black she-cat, her amber eyes narrowed and burning with anger. "I'm the fool? Seriously? Where are we, Swallowflight? Can you tell us that? Where are we standing right now?"

The warrior was taken aback by her sister's question. She glanced around the clearing, her eyes scanning the dark, ominous trees looming over them and the black, starless sky that offered no light to the world below. "Um, I think we're in the Dark Forest," Swallowflight finally meowed.

"And what sort of cats end up in the Dark Forest?" Streamflower hissed. "Evil cats! Cats that aren't good and pure enough to end up in StarClan. No good cats come here when they die. The Dark Forest is full of murderers, liars, cats guilty of the worst offenses- not cats who can be trusted and loved!"

Onestar fluffed his pelt, still watching Streamflower calmly. "You believe that StarClan always gets it right? They always make sure cats go to the right place when they die and never ever make mistakes?"

"StarClan doesn't make mistakes," the tabby she-cat growled. "You're here because you deserve to be here."

"StarClan isn't always right!" Swallowflight hissed. "Did you forget they're the ones who put Brokenstar and Tigerstar into power? Can cats who put murderers into power be right? They were wrong then, and they will be wrong again. They aren't perfect. You can't trust them."

Streamflower's eyes widened. "He's ruined you!" she gasped. "You really do believe every word he says!"

The black she-cat nodded. "Because he's right!" she snapped. "Onestar knows what he's talking about. He hasn't been fooled by StarClan's 'holier-than-thou' act."

"You've been fooled," Streamflower mewed quietly. "Onestar is destroying you." She stood up and turned around to leave. "There's nothing more I can say to you. If you believe that monster, I want nothing more to do with either of you. Go and be with Newtclaw and hate StarClan for all I care. Believe Onestar's lies and maybe someday you'll realize your mistake."

Swallowflight watched in horror as her sister padded slowly away, her tabby-striped tail dragging against the cold ground behind her. Streamflower disappeared into the forest without even a glance back at the two cats remaining in the clearing, leaving them both speechless as they lost sight of her.

Onestar turned to stare at his daughter. "She's just angry," he meowed calmly. "She'll come around."

"I'm not so sure," the black she-cat meowed. "She really hates you."

"I can see that," the former WindClan cat meowed. "You know I'm not using you to get revenge on the Clans, right?"

Swallowflight pressed her face into his fur. "Of course I know that," she purred. "You'd never do something evil like that."


	15. Chapter 15

_**(A/N: I know, I know, it's been six or seven months. I've been busy with real life stuff and haven't had time to write. I'm going to try to finish this up within the next month so you have an ending.)**_

Chapter 15

Streamflower pulled leaves of catmint off of their stems, yanking her head back to get the plants to loosen out of the frozen ground. Her jaws filled with the sweet leaves, the tabby used her paws to shove the woven twigs and leaves over the catmint, shielding the herb from the bitter cold. Satisfied that the catmint was safe, she turned away and prepared to make the trek back to camp.

The sky was overcast, thick gray clouds covering the forest. The air had turned to an icy chill and the ground was hard and frozen under Streamflower's paws. As she padded through the undergrowth, a few white flakes began drifting down from the sky, hitting the she-cat's nose.

_Ugh, snowing already? _the tabby thought. _This is going to be a long leaf-bare._

"Hey, Streamflower, wait up!" a voice called from farther back.

The medicine cat paused and turned around to see a ginger she-cat shoving her way through the undergrowth. A cream-colored tom and a white tom followed her, carrying prey in their jaws.

"Hi, Hazelleaf," Streamflower muffled mew came though her mouthful of catmint. "How's the prey running?"

The ginger she-cat rolled her eyes. "Not well, if you can believe it. Everything's hiding and it's only just begun to snow."

"Rowanfur and Snowtail have prey, though," the tabby mewed, nodding toward the toms."

The cream-colored tom dropped his catch. "Yeah. Two mice," he muttered. "It's not much for only the beginning of leaf-bare."

"You're collecting catmint?" Hazelleaf asked. "Preparing for an outbreak of greencough?"

"Jayfeather and I want to be prepared," Streamflower mewed. "You haven't heard anyone coughing yet, have you?"

The ginger she-cat shook her head. "Nope. Hopefully this leaf-bare won't be as bad as last year."

The tabby she-cat nodded. "No deaths, but Leafpool and Birchfall are still feeling the effects of greencough. If either of them get it this season, I doubt they'll make it."

Rowanfur nodded seriously. "It's always hardest on the elders. Sandstorm will probably need close watching, too."

"I hope this leaf-bare won't see an outbreak of greencough," Streamflower mewed, "but at least we'll be prepared."

* * *

"Are my catmint plants still alive?" Jayfeather asked as Streamflower entered the medicine cats' den.

The she-cat carried her herbs to the back where the store was and placed them with the rest of the leaves and seeds. "Yes," she mewed. "Everything looks great."

"Excellent," the tom mewed. "Now that you're back, can you take a juniper berry to your sister? She ate a frog or something last night and has been complaining about a bellyache."

"A frog? Why on earth would she eat that?" Streamflower asked in disbelief.

Jayfeather shrugged. "She caught it and no one else wanted it. I'm more surprised that she found one of ThunderClan territory. Maybe she found it by the stream that runs through the apprentices' training area."

The tabby she-cat snorted. "Yeah, I bet that's where she found it."

Streamflower grabbed a red berry from the herb store and hurried out of the den. A blast of icy air hit her face as she stepped out into the camp. Blinking in the cold, the tabby glanced around the camp. Swallowflight was sitting by the nursery talking to Tawnyheart, whose kits were trying to catch snowflakes as they fell.

Trotting over to the she-cats, Streamflower was careful not to trip over Hawkkit and Goldenkit. "Hey, Swallowflight," she mewed. "I've brought a juniper berry for your belly."

The black she-cat heaved a sigh of relief. "Thank goodness! I thought I'd have to deal with this stomach ache for a moon!"

"Serves you right for eating a frog," Tawnyheart purred. "Where'd you even find that thing?"

"That's what I want to know," Streamflower added, shoving the berry toward her sister.

Swallowflight bent down and ate the berry, chewing it slowly. "Um…on our territory. It must have gotten lost or something."

"It must have had bees in its brain then," Tawnyheart laughed. "How can a frog get lost? There are no marshes on our land!"

Streamflower nodded. "It certainly is curious." She glanced at her sister pointedly. "Can I talk to you for a moment?"

The black she-cat narrowed her eyes. "Why?"

"Because I'm your sister and I want to talk to you," the tabby she-cat meowed. "Just let me borrow you for a moment."

Swallowflight exchanged a glance with Tawnyheart, and then shrugged. "Okay, sure." She stood up to follow Streamflower, who was already turning away to find a secluded place to talk.

Streamflower leaped onto the stone boulders that were piled up in or corner of the camp. There was no sun, so none of the ThunderClan cats would bother coming up to lay on the rocks. Ducking behind a jagged stone where she wouldn't be seen, the tabby whirled around to face her sister.

"Are you hunting on ShadowClan territory now?" she hissed.

The black she-cat's green eyes widened. "No! Of course not!" she gasped. "Why would you say that?"

Streamflower narrowed her eyes. "You didn't find that frog on our territory."

"Newtclaw gave it to me," Swallowflight informed her sister.

"Look, I know you're still seeing him, but if you come home smelling like frog cats are going to get suspicious again!" the medicine cat growled.

The warrior rolled her eyes. "What happened to you not caring about me anymore? I thought you were going to ignore me for as long as I continued to talk to Onestar or see Newtclaw."

The tabby unsheathed her claws and raked the stone beneath her. "I don't care that you're visiting our father. I think you're completely mouse-brained and that he's lying to you, but I don't care that you're hurting yourself. What I do care about is what the Clan is going to think when it's warriors smell like ShadowClan prey!"

"It was one time!" Swallowflight hissed. "I'm not going to eat frog every time I see Newtclaw. Sometimes we share a squirrel!"

"So he's eating our prey, as well?" Streamflower snarled. "You don't get it, do you? Eventually Rowanstar is going to find evidence that you've been on his territory or Bramblestar will find out Newtclaw's been on ours and they'll accuse each other of allowing their warriors to hunt in each other's territory and it will lead to a fight."

The black she-cat shook her head. "You're over-reacting. Newtclaw and I aren't doing anything wrong! Stay out of our business!"

Streamflower inhaled deeply. "If you are scented on ShadowClan territory they will think you're hunting. If someone catches you eating frogs they'll know you're hunting. The same thing will happen if Newtclaw is scented on our side of the border. If you're going to act completely mouse-brained could you at least meet on the shoreline- you know, the space where cats can be without being accused of trespassing? And could you not eat prey of the other territory?"

"Could you at least stop being so bossy?" Swallowflight snarled. "I told you- stay out of my business. If you're just going to tell me what to do and what not to do then don't talk to me at all."

"If you'd stop making stupid decisions I wouldn't have to!" Streamflower growled. "I'm trying to stop a battle before it happens. We don't need ShadowClan and ThunderClan starting a war!"

The warrior glared at the medicine cat for a moment, lashing her tail. After a hesitation, she whirled around to leap off of the rocks. "Just stay out of my life!"

Streamflower snorted, shaking her head. "Believe me," she muttered quietly. "I want to."


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

"So I've decided to start doing what you're doing and tell Bramblestar I think the warrior code is outdated," Swallowflight meowed, staring at Newtclaw.

The fluffy gray tom's eyes sparkled. "That's great! What made you change your mind?"

"My sister," the ThunderClan warrior growled. "I am so annoyed with her right now! She's just so bossy that I want to see the warrior code changed just to rub it in her face!"

Newtclaw narrowed his eyes. "So it has nothing to do with me- the love of your life?"

Swallowflight blinked. "Of course it has to do with you. I want to be with you forever. I just want my sister to stop acting like a mouse-brained Clan leader, too."

"Is your father putting you up to this?" the ShadowClan tom mewed. "I know he was telling you the same thing I've been saying for moons."

"He made me promise I'd find a way for us to be together," the black warrior mewed. "He doesn't like seeing me sad. Onestar wants me to be happy and thinks that I won't be truly happy until we're together."

The tom nodded seriously. "He sounds like a good parent. I can't believe he was sent to the Dark Forest. If StarClan is sending good cats to the Dark Forest upon death, then Onestar is right. They're dumb and shouldn't be listened to."

The she-cat swished her tail. "I'm beginning to think he's right about everything. StarClan has made some awful decisions in the past. How can the cats who allowed Tigerstar and Brokenstar to become leaders be trusted to make good laws? We couldn't trust them to give us good leaders!"

Newtclaw stood up, raising his head to the starlit sky. "So you hear us, StarClan?" he howled. "You can't control us anymore! We know you make mistakes and we won't listen to your dumb, outdated rules any longer!"

"Shh!" Swallowflight hissed, glancing around cautiously. "Don't make so much noise! Do you want us to be discovered?"

"Who cares?" Newtclaw hissed back. "We're not going to let StarClan or the warrior code rule us, so why should we care if we're found out?"

The ThunderClan she-cat narrowed her eyes. "I know, but I don't want to be found like this. I want to make it known when the time is right. Preferably when I'm in camp and not currently on ShadowClan territory with frog breath."

The fluffy gray tom hesitated, staring at the she-cat. "Okay, I see your point. I don't think I'd want to be found out while I'm on ThunderClan territory with robin breath."

"We should probably head back to our camps now," Swallowflight mewed. "The sun is going to start rising soon and I'd like to be in camp before everyone wakes up and asks where I've been."

Newtclaw nodded. "Well, if you don't want our secret out now I'll respect that, but the second you decide to let Bramblestar know tell me. I want Rowanstar to know we're mates and that there's nothing he can do about it."

"Soon, okay?" Swallowflight pushed. "Bramblestar thinks I'm a loyal warrior right now and I've regained his trust. I'll tell him we're mates, but it has to be at the right moment."

"Fine," the ShadowClan tom meowed. "I'll wait for you. In the meantime I'm still going to complain about the warrior code!"

* * *

"Swallowflight, do you want to go on patrol with me and Hollyfrost?" Dustpaw asked.

The black she-cat glanced up at the sky. It was still snowing and the ground was already covered. A border patrol didn't sound like the most fun idea at the moment. Still, the warrior stood up, shaking her pelt. "Sure, why not?"

"Awesome!" the dark cream tom mewed. "I'm going to ask my brother to join us, too!"

As the apprentice ran off to find his littermate, Swallowflight padded toward the entrance to camp. Hollyfrost want already waiting there, her fluffy gray pelt fluffed up against the cold.

"Joining us?" she asked, shaking her head so the snowflakes landing on her nose would fall off.

"Dustpaw asked me too," the black warrior replied. "I think he's looking for Stormpaw to join us as well."

Hollyfrost snorted. "That tom has got to learn that they can't do everything together. It'll do some good to do a patrol without Stormpaw- or my sister, for that matter."

Swallowflight blinked. "Are you and Sorrelcloud not getting along?"

"She's a kit!" the gray warrior exclaimed. "She never grew up. I did. When she manages to grow up we'll get along much better."

Before the black warrior could reply Dustpaw came running over to join them, Stormpaw behind him. The two apprentices skidded to a halt in front of the two she-cats, spraying snow in their faces.

"Hey, watch it!" Hollyfrost hissed, ducking out of the way.

"Sorrelcloud said Stormpaw could come with as long as there's another warrior!" Dustpaw meowed.

Stormpaw nodded, casting a glance at Swallowflight. "Too bad it has to be that one," he grumbled.

The dark cream apprentice swatted his brother with his paw. "Be nice. That's how you show she-cats you like them."

"Stormpaw likes Swallowflight?" Hollyfrost asked, flicking her ears. "That's something I didn't expect to hear."

"I don't like her!" Stormpaw argued. "I think she's an annoying showoff who's in love with a ShadowClan cat!"

Swallowflight shook her head. "I am not in love with any ShadowClan cat," she hissed. "And I'm certainly not an annoying showoff!"

Dustpaw laughed. "Don't worry, Swallowflight. Stormpaw's lying. He just has a massive crush on you and doesn't know how to show it."

"I do not!" the gray tom persisted. "Can we just go on the patrol or not?"

Hollyfrost nodded. "Yes. Let's go so we can get back before nightfall. I don't want to be out any longer than we have to."

Swallowflight turned away from the apprentices and pushed through the entrance. "What border are we heading to, Hollyfrost?"

The gray warrior padded alongside her Clanmate. "I think we should check the WindClan border. ShadowClan's border was checked this morning."

"Aw, so we can't see if Swallowflight's ShadowClan love is hanging around?" Stormpaw whined sarcastically. "I was so hoping to meet him."

"You only want to meet him to tell him to stay away from her!" Dustpaw growled.

Hollyfrost rounded on the toms. "Are you two going to bicker the whole time we're out? Swallowflight is over Newtclaw. If Stormpaw has a crush on her, he has no competition and should grow up and tell her. Now let's go!"

The gray warrior pushed ahead of her companions and turned in the direction of WindClan's border. Swallowflight hurried after her, not wanting to get caught up in the apprentices' quarrel. Was Stormpaw suspicious? Did he suspect she was still secretly meeting Newtclaw? She didn't know and certainly didn't want to find out. Maybe he really did have a crush on her and just didn't know what to say. At least Dustpaw made it clear he had a crush on Streamflower. The poor tom got boxed on the ears every time he told the medicine cat, but that didn't stop him from following her around all the time.

"WindClan's border is awfully quiet," Hollyfrost meowed, pausing on the edge of their territory. "I figured since they like this windy weather so much they'd be out and about."

"Maybe it's too cold even for them," Swallowflight mewed. "I don't scent any strong markers. They haven't been out by the border today."

Hollyfrost nodded. "I think you're right. The scent is a bit stale. Oh well. It makes our job easier."

Dustpaw bounced alongside his mentor. "Maybe they're all sick with greencough!" he guessed. "Or maybe they're hibernating for leaf-bare like the prey does!"

His mentor shook her head. "Cats don't hibernate, Dustpaw. Everyone knows that." She stared out across the border for a long moment. "Well, there's no sign of anything out on the moor. Let's just get the borders mark and head back to camp."

Swallowflight nodded and padded alongside the edge of ThunderClan territory. She wondered briefly what life was like in her mother's former Clan. She'd certainly hate living in such an open space. The forest provided more shelter and kept the wind from getting too cold. The moor offered no such protection.

The she-cat began padding back to her patrol when a loud yowl sounded from nearby. "Help me!"

Hollyfrost's head jerked up. "That's coming from our territory!" she gasped.

Swallowflight was already on the move, racing deeper into ThunderClan territory, trying to locate the sound. Concentrating on locating the noise, she nearly tripped over a mound of tortoiseshell fur. Blue-eye lay in the snow, her sides heaving and her eyes shut in pain. The she-cat was about to have her kits.


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

"Come on, Brindlepaw," Streamflower soothed. "Just eat a little bit of mouse. It'll make you feel better."

The tortoiseshell apprentice shook her head. "I didn't catch anything. I'm not helping the Clan. Take that mouse to the elders or somebody who's actually done something for the Clan."

Streamflower sighed heavily. Brindlepaw hadn't eaten anything in three days. She refused everything the medicine cat brought her, saying she didn't deserve it. The tabby she-cat knew the blind apprentice was feeling depressed and thought she was a burden on her Clanmates, but surely that didn't mean she didn't get to eat!

"Well, I'll just leave this here for you," Streamflower mewed. "Maybe you'll be hungry in a little-"

"Jayfeather! Streamflower!" Hollyfrost's high-pitched voice yowled from outside the den.

The tabby she-cat jerked her head up at once, alerted by the worry in the warrior's cry. Jayfeather looked surprised as well, and wasted no time in hurrying out of the den. Streamflower raced to follow her mentor and hurried to stand beside him as Hollyfrost's patrol skidded into camp.

"What's wrong?" Jayfeather meowed instantly.

"It's Blue-eye!" the warrior mewed. "I think she was out hunting, but the kits started coming and she needs help!"

The gray tom bristled. "Great StarClan! What on earth was she doing out there in this weather, anyway?" He turned back toward the den, flicking his tail in Streamflower's direction. "Go with Hollyfrost back to Blue-eye. I'll be there soon with a few herbs."

Streamflower nodded. Hollyfrost immediately turned and raced out of the camp again, leaving the two apprentices she was with standing in the center of camp to explain what was going on to the others. Only Swallowflight was not present.

The medicine cat hurtled after the gray warrior. "Where's my sister?" she panted, catching up with Hollyfrost.

"She wanted to stay with Blue-eye," the warrior panted. "She's trying to keep her calm."

Streamflower narrowed her eyes. If Blue-eye was alone and scared, the birth of her kits would be really hard on her. The kits were already early. They weren't due for another half-moon. This would be a hard delivery.

_StarClan help us! _she thought as she ran through the snow-covered forest.

Blue-eye was lying awkwardly on her side, howling out in pain. When Streamflower reached her, she saw that Swallowflight had brushed the snow off the ground around her and was lying by the queen's side.

Hollyfrost slid on an icy patch, nearly falling on the two. "Do you think you can help her?" she gasped.

The medicine cat quickly padded to Blue-eye's side. The tortoiseshell was breathing heavily and her body writhed as spasms shook her wildly.

"Why are they coming so early?" Swallowflight mewed, fright sounding in her voice.

Streamflower shook her head. "I don't know. Grab a stick or something for her to bite down on."

The black warrior nodded and stood up, her eyes darting around as she looked for something.

The medicine cat bent down by Blue-eye. "Take a deep breath," she murmured. "You need to stay calm."

"How can I stay calm when-" the queen's voice was cut off by an ear-splitting yowl.

Streamflower brushed her tail gently along Blue-eye's flank. "Just breathe," she mewed.

Swallowflight finally returned, carrying a twig in her jaw. "Will this do?" she asked, dropping it beside the queen.

The medicine cat nodded. "Yes. Thank you."

Before the queen could cry out again, Jayfeather appear with a bundle of herbs. "Great StarClan!" he muttered. "What on earth possessed you to be out here?"

"I…wanted…some…fresh air," Blue-eye panted.

The gray tom shook his head. "Mouse-brain."

The tortoiseshell screeched again, and this time her sides heaved as she pushed.

"There's a kit!" Hollyfrost announced, grabbing the tiny bundle and hauling it close to her.

"Good," Jayfeather mewed. "Lick it the wrong way to get it warmed up."

Blue-eye pushed again, delivering another tiny kit onto the frozen ground. This time Swallowflight darted forward and grabbed the helpless bundle. When the next kit came, Streamflower grabbed it and hurriedly began licking its fur.

_He's so tiny! Oh, StarClan, how will we get these kits back to camp without them freezing?_

"And here's the last one!" Jayfeather announced as the last kit slid out. Hollyfrost took this one as well, keeping the first kit wrapped in her fluffy gray tail for warmth.

The dark gray medicine cat pushed his pile of herbs toward the tired queen. "Eat these," he ordered.

"How are the kits?" Blue-eye murmured, her eyes drooping.

"I haven't inspected them yet," the tom replied. "I've been too busy saving you. Now eat these herbs so I can check them out."

Streamflower wrapped her kit between her paws, keeping her head down to shield him from the wind.

Jayfeather padded over and sniffed him. "Is he breathing steadily?" he asked.

The tabby she-cat nodded. "And I'm trying to keep him warm."

"Good," the tom meowed.

After inspecting the other three kits, Jayfeather raised his head. "Alright, I think we can get these kits back to camp safely, but we need to be fast."

"Is Blue-eye strong enough to walk?" Hollyfrost mewed, eyeing the queen worriedly.

The tortoiseshell heaved herself to her paws. "I can make it," she huffed.

Streamflower narrowed her eyes. She didn't think the queen was strong enough to walk, and she certainly didn't think the kits would be able to stand the cold, but getting them back to a warm den might be the best way to help. She picked her kit up by his scruff and watched as Hollyfrost, Swallowflight, and Jayfeather each lifted a kit.

The group made their way slowly back to camp. Blue-eye could barely walk, and she stumbled in the heavy snow, falling several times. The queen was holding the other cats up, and the kits were beginning to quiet down, numb from the cold.

"You go on without me," Blue-eye mewed. "Get the kits warm. I'll catch up."

Jayfeather shook his head. "I can't leave you out here alone," he meowed through a mouthful of fur.

Blue-eye stared at him sadly. "If you don't my kits will freeze."

Streamflower knew there was no point in arguing. The queen was right. She decided the best thing to do was get the kits back to camp. They could come back for Blue-eye once the little ones were safe.

* * *

"What in the name of StarClan?" Lilyheart gasped as Streamflower pushed into the nursery.

"Blue-eye had her kits," the medicine cat meowed, dropping the one she was carrying into a mossy nest.

Hollyfrost and Swallowflight followed her into the den, each depositing a kit into the nest.

"Warm these kits up," Jayfeather ordered, entering after the she-cats with the last kit. "I'm going back for Blue-eye."

Lilyheart nodded, climbing into the nest with the tiny kits. "Is Blue-eye okay?" the queen asked, worry showing in her eyes.

Streamflower shook her head. "She was too weak to walk."

Tawnyheart lifted her head, peering out from her nest. "Lilyheart, pass a couple of the kits over to me. I've got some more room here."

Lilyheart nodded and lifted one of the kits and placed him beside the brown tabby queen. Hollyfrost lifted another and carried it over.

"Mama, why do we have to share our nest?" Goldenkit whined as the queen made room for the newborn kits.

"Because they're freezing cold," Tawnyheart explained.

Streamflower nodded. "They need to be kept as warm as possible. They're going to be pretty weak."

"It's a good thing ThunderClan has a couple nursing queens," Lilyheart added. "If Blue-eye doesn't make it…"

"She's going to," the medicine cat meowed. "She has to. Jayfeather can get her back to camp safely."

"I hope you're right," Tawnyheart added. "An additional four mouths to feed will be a challenge, but Lilyheart and I would take the kits in if we have to."

The tortoiseshell nodded. "Of course we would," she meowed. "I just hope for their sake Blue-eye makes it back to camp."

* * *

Streamflower stood by the entrance of the medicine cats' den, her eyes wide with horror.

"What do you mean she's dead?" Sunblaze snarled, glaring at Jayfeather with blazing green eyes.

"She was too cold and the kits came too early," the medicine cat replied. "There was nothing I could do."

Sunblaze lashed his tail furiously. "You could have saved her! You could have stayed with her and kept her warm instead of abandoning her!"

Streamflower stepped forward, ready to defend Jayfeather. "We were trying to save your kits!" she insisted. "We had to get them warm!"

"And what's going to happen to them without a mother?" the ginger tom cried. "They're orphans now because of you!"

"They are not orphans!" Streamflower hissed. "They have you!"

Sunblaze unsheathed his claws and thrust his paws into the snow. "But who's going to nurse them? Lilyheart and Tawnyheart barely have enough milk to feed their own kits! I can't expect them to adopt mine as well!"

Jayfeather rested his tail on the tom's shoulder. "But they've agreed to try. I know it's hard on you, losing Blue-eye, but your kits are safe and warm. They have two cats who are willing to feed them. Be thankful for that."

The ginger tom paused, staring at the medicine cat for a long moment. Finally he heaved a sigh and nodded. Without another word he whirled around and padded toward the nursery, hanging his head low as he padded away.

"We did everything we could," Jayfeather meowed, turning to Streamflower. "The kits are strong, and sometimes that's the most we can ask for."


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

Swallowflight padded through the dense, dark forest. "Onestar?" she called. "Are you here?"

A tabby tom pushed through the undergrowth, his amber eyes lighting up at the sight of his daughter. "Swallowflight!" he purred. "How nice to see you!"

The black she-cat nodded. "It's been a while," she mewed.

"I know," Onestar meowed, narrowing his eyes. "A lot's happened since we last spoke. You've been pretty busy."

Swallowflight kneaded the ground anxiously. "I forgot to tell Bramblestar what I think of the warrior code. I was going to."

The tom blinked sympathetically. "You got distracted helping out with Blue-eye's kits. I've noticed since she died you've been more active in the nursery- cleaning out the nests, taking the queens prey, watching their kits so they can concentrate on the little ones."

"It's not fair that they had to adopt Blue-eye's," Swallowflight meowed. "It's a lot to take on, especially since there's not much prey running around. I just want to help in any way I can."

Onestar nodded, narrowing his eyes. "Are you sure that's the only reason you've been so helpful?"

"What?" the she-cat asked, taken aback. "Of course it is! What other reason would I have for helping keep the queens cared for?"

The lithe tom shrugged. "No reason. I was just asking." Changing the subject, he added, "So when are you going to start telling Bramblestar what you think of the warrior code?"

"Now," Swallowflight mewed. "I'll start dropping hints as soon as I wake up. But since he doesn't know I'm still in love with Newtclaw I won't say that's why I don't like the code. I'll start by asking questions like 'why's it so important to listen to StarClan' and 'but StarClan appointed bad leaders, so how can we trust them' before I come right out and say what I'm thinking."

"Excellent," Onestar meowed. "He'll know where you stand. Just don't phrase it like that forever. He's got to know eventually that the warrior code is outdated and should really be thrown out."

Swallowflight blinked. "Hold on, I thought we were just talking about the forbidden love rule. I didn't think we were throwing out the whole code."

The former WindClan leader narrowed his eyes. "It's all outdated and StarClan approved. We know we can't trust StarClan, so why trust any of their code? This is a new generation- a new dawn. Cats are different. You should have the chance to allow the Clans evolve to fit how cats are now- and you and Newtclaw have to be the ones to lead the way. Throw out the warrior code and start fresh."

"Okay, I see your point," Swallowflight mewed. "Cats need to separate from their faith in StarClan and start living by their own rules. We don't need any interference from them anymore."

"That's right," Onestar meowed. "Let Bramblestar know that. Newtclaw's already making sure Rowanstar knows how he feels. Now it's your turn to ensure Bramblestar knows how you feel. Start telling him now."

The she-cat nodded. "I will. I'm tired about having to keep half of my life secret. I love Newtclaw and shouldn't have to be forbidden to love him just because some rule made up by ancient cats and enforced by dead cats says I can't!"

"Exactly!" Onestar exclaimed. "I'm so glad you're beginning to see through StarClan's lies and faults. Just listen to me, Swallowflight. I'll tell you everything you need to know. I'll tell you the truth."

"I know you will," Swallowflight purred. "I'm so glad you started talking to me. I would have never realized how messed up our lives are because of the warrior code and StarClan if it wasn't for you."

The tabby tom nodded. "And you thought I was evil when you first met me! How wrong you were!"

"I know!" the she-cat mewed. "I can't believe I was going to refuse to listen to you just because you're in the Dark Forest!"

Onestar flicked his tail. "Now if only your sister could see through StarClan. She's so caught up in the rules that she's blind to the truth."

Swallowflight sighed. "I know. I finally just stopped talking to her. She got so bossy and was ordering me to follow the warrior code. She doesn't see how stupid it all is!"

"Streamflower needs to be shown the truth," Onestar meowed. "Maybe once you convince Bramblestar she'll come around."

"I hope so," the she-cat meowed. "At least she doesn't care that I'm seeing Newtclaw anymore. I don't have her telling me to stop seeing him all the time."

"Maybe you're wearing her down," the tom suggested.

The warrior shook her head. "I think she's just tired of me breaking the rules. But I don't care. As long as she's not telling me what I can and cannot do, I'm fine."

"She'll come around," Onestar meowed. "I'm sure she will."

"Will all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the High Ledge for a Clan meeting?" Bramblestar meowed.

Swallowflight lifted her head, glancing around the fresh-kill pile. Bramblestar was sitting up on the ledge, gazing out across camp. Wondering what the meeting was about, she trotted over to the cats beginning to gather at the base of the stones.

"I think there's going to be a naming ceremony," Smoketail meowed as the black she-cat sat down beside him.

"For apprentices or warriors?" Swallowflight asked. "Lilyheart's kits aren't six moons old yet, are they?"

The gray-and-white warrior shook his head. "I don't think they're quite that old yet. I think Bramblestar is going to make Dustpaw and Stormpaw warriors. I heard them talking about their assessments earlier."

Swallowflight nodded. "That must be it, then." She looked up toward her leader, waiting for him to begin the meeting.

"Dustpaw and Stormpaw have completed and passed their assessments today," Bramblestar meowed. "They have proven to be ready to earn their warrior names. Hollyfrost, do you believe Dustpaw is ready to be given his warrior name?"

The gray warrior nodded. "I do."

The tabby leader glanced over to a golden tabby she-cat. "Sorrelcloud, do you believe Stormpaw is ready to be given his warrior name?"

"I do," Sorrelcloud replied.

"Then I ask StarClan to look down on these apprentices. They have worked hard to understand our noble code," Bramblestar meowed. "Dustpaw, from this day forth you shall be known as Dustwhisker. We honor you for your determination and optimism."

"Dustwhisker! Dustwhisker!" the Clan cheered as the tom raised his head proudly.

"Stormpaw, from this day forth you will be known as Stormpelt. We honor you for your courage and strength," Bramblestar added.

"Stormpelt! Stormpelt!"

Swallowflight cheered along with her Clanmates, but inside she was thinking that Bramblestar didn't need to say anything before StarClan. They did nothing to help Dustwhisker and Stormpelt become warriors. ThunderClan could get along without them.

_I've got to start talking to Bramblestar! _she thought. _I've got to make him see we don't need StarClan or the warrior code!_


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

"Sunblaze, why don't you go on a hunting patrol or a border patrol?" Streamflower mewed, staring at the ginger tom nestled into a nest in the nursery, watching over his kits protectively.

"No thanks," he replied. "I have to make sure they don't cough. I'm worried they'll catch greencough."

Lilyheart cast Streamflower a sympathetic glance. "Sunblaze," the tortoiseshell-and-white she-cat mewed gently, "the kits are fine. Go join a patrol. Nothing will change in the short time you're gone."

The ginger tom shook his head. "The kits are so tiny. They really need me to be here with them."

Tawnyheart sighed, burying her head in her paws. "Sunblaze, please take a break. Take my kits out and show them the hunter's crouch. Teach Lilyheart's kits a battle move. Do something, please!"

Sunblaze narrowed his eyes. "I need to be here with my kits! They've already lost their mother. I can't let them grow up without a father!"

Streamflower rested her tail on the tom's shoulder. "They're not growing up without a father. You don't have to spend every waking moment with them. They won't miss you if you just take a short beak."

The ginger tom glared at the medicine cat for a moment, and then heaved a sigh. "Oh, all right." He stood up in his nest. "I'll go on a hunting patrol- but I'm coming right back afterwards!"

The tabby she-cat nodded and followed the tom out of the nursery. "They'll be fine," she soothed him. Tawnyheart and Lilyheart will take good care of them."

He jerked his head back, facing her. "Why'd you leave them?" he asked. "What if Cloudkit coughs? What if Darkkit sneezes? What if Thrushkit gets a fever? What if Rosekit gets a stomach ache?"

"Your kits will survive until you get back," Streamflower assured the worried tom. "They don't get sick that quickly. You can take a break and go for a nice hunt."

"I just want to make sure they live," Sunblaze mewed.

The tabby medicine cat nodded. "I know. They're being well taken care of. We're doing everything we can to make sure your kits stay warm and well-fed."

The tom shifted his paws. "If anything were to happen to them…"

"I know," Streamflower mewed quietly. "I won't let anything."

He nodded. "Alright then. But I'm coming straight back after the hunting patrol."

The medicine cat watched as he padded away, joining Berrynose, Lionblaze, and Poppyfrost. Turning away to face the fresh-kill pile, Streamflower overheard new voices talking.

"Why are you asking all these questions?" a tom's voice asked. "Of course we should listen to StarClan!"

"But you're trusting cats who put Brokenstar and Tigerstar in power," a she-cat's voice meowed. "How can you trust them when they've trusted evil cats to lead Clans?"

A second she-cat's voice added her opinion. "Brokenstar and Tigerstar were deputies and their leaders died. The warrior code clearly states that deputies succeed their leaders. That's all there is to it."

The first she-cat spoke again. "The warrior code is messed up, too! Can't you see how outdated and wrong it is? The code has allowed for evil to take over the Clans, and StarClan supports it. The whole thing is messed up!"

Streamflower peered around the fresh-kill pile. Bramblestar and Ivypool were bristling, their tails lashing as they faced Swallowflight.

"We follow StarClan," Bramblestar hissed. "We follow the warrior code. That's what we do here."

Ivypool glared at the warrior with blazing blue eyes. "Why are you even asking us this? Why the sudden hatred of StarClan and the code?"

Swallowflight stood her ground. "It is my belief that the code is outdated. It was created for a former time period. We're more mature than cats were back then. We don't need a bunch of stupid rules telling us what we can and cannot do."

Streamflower felt the fur on the back of her neck stand up. She knew exactly where her sister was getting these ideas. They were coming from Onestar!

"Swallowflight, you've been a good warrior," Bramblestar meowed slowly. "You were a good apprentice after we sorted out that mess with Newtclaw. We thought you'd changed and learned from your mistakes. What has gotten into you?"

"I don't think StarClan is infallible and I think the code is outdated," the black warrior meowed. "It's as simple as that. This has nothing to do with my past or Newtclaw."

"Are you sure?" Ivypool hissed. "You're not still seeing him, are you?"

The medicine cat waited to hear her sister's reply. Wishing her sister would tell the truth, she stared at Swallowflight with pleading eyes. _Please, just tell the truth!_

"No, of course I'm not seeing him," Swallowflight lied. "I haven't seen him in over four moons. This isn't about Newtclaw. It's about our code and StarClan. We don't need either of them."

Bramblestar sighed, glancing at his deputy. "I don't know what on earth has gotten into her."

"I don't either," Ivypool replied. "But I don't like what I'm hearing."

"That's because you're blind to the truth!" Swallowflight insisted.

The leader shook his head. "Enough of this! I've heard enough."

The warrior opened her mouth to argue, but Ivypool slapped her tail across her mouth. "Not another word!" she spat. "I don't want to hear another word spoken out of you until you've learned to control your tongue."

Swallowflight glared at the two cats, her tail lashing furiously. Without saying anything, she whirled around and raced toward the camp entrance. Pushing through the leaf barrier, she left camp without looking back.

Bramblestar narrowed his eyes, spying Streamflower from behind the fresh-kill pile. "Follow her," he ordered.

"It won't do any good. I already know where she's going," the tabby she-cat replied.

"Where?" the leader growled.

Streamflower flicked her tail. "The ShadowClan border. She's going to see Newtclaw."

"I knew it!" Ivypool exclaimed. "I knew she wasn't over him!"

"And you're so quick to give her up?" Bramblestar questioned. "You're not going to protect her?"

The medicine cat snorted. "Why should I? She's broken the code too many times and won't listen to reason. I don't care to be caught up her problems."

Bramblestar stared at Streamflower for a long moment. "I thought you two were inseparable."

"We haven't been that way in a long time," Streamflower meowed. With that, she snatched a starling from the fresh-kill pile and stalked away, leaving her leader and deputy to chase after her rule-breaking sister.


	20. Chapter 20

_**(A/N: Not much action in this chapter, but an important conversation. The beginning of the climax is coming. Big things will happen in the next Streamflower POV. There's probably three-four chapters left for this installment. Expect big things. Secrets revealed and some...not revealed.)**_

Chapter 20

Swallowflight pelted through the forest, snow flying out from underneath her paws. The snow was now about as deep as a starling is high, and the cat's paws crunched over the icy ground. The air was frigid, but she didn't feel it. She was running too fast, ignoring the sting of the artic air against her eyes and nose.

Approaching the line of pine trees that dotted the ShadowClan border, the she-cat slid to a halt. The air was still and silent. No noise permeated through the forest. No breeze tore through the bare trees and no birds sang their merry tune. She glanced around, her eyes darting in every way, looking to see if trouble loomed nearby. There was nothing there, however. ShadowClan's scent had faded. A patrol had not been by since before sunhigh.

Sighing, Swallowflight felt her shoulders sag. She was hoping that a patrol would be there. She needed someone to talk to, and definitely not someone from ThunderClan. She wanted Newtclaw, but after her fight with Bramblestar and Ivypool, she thought any ShadowClan cat would do.

_Maybe I could just join ShadowClan, _she thought to herself. _No, that wouldn't work. Rowanstar already knows Newtclaw still likes me. He'd never let me join- he'd just give me a lecture on the stupid warrior code!_

"Hey, Swallowflight, come back here!" a she-cat's voice shouted from behind her.

Swallowflight whirled around. Ivypool was running towards her, her white-and-silver pelt fluffed up against the cold. "You don't want me to talk, so just leave me alone!" the black she-cat hissed.

The deputy slowed down, shaking snow out of her face. She circled the warrior, gazing at her with serious blue eyes.

"What is going on with you?" she meowed, her voice level. She did not appear to be as angry as she had been in camp.

Swallowflight raised her head. "Nothing is going on! I was raising fair points about the infallibility of StarClan."

Ivypool narrowed her eyes. "I know what you were saying, but where is that coming from? You've been doing your best to follow the code and be a good ThunderClan warrior since that whole Newtclaw problem. You've been doing more patrols than the other warriors, you stay out extra late on hunting patrols to bring back more food, you watch the kits…and now you're what? Running away? And disagreeing with the warrior code? Those ideas didn't come to you just today. You had to get them from somewhere."

"I just think the warrior code is outdated and that we're all more civilized than the Clans were all those season-cycles ago," the warrior mewed, "and StarClan has a track record of making terrible mistakes. If they're supposed to be wise and powerful, then they should have the power to deny deputies the right to lead if that deputy does not deserve it."

Sighing, Ivypool closed her eyes and shook her head. "I see what you're trying to say. I'm not disagreeing with you that StarClan has put some bad leaders into place. But they are not all powerful. They don't have a say in whether a deputy should not get to take over the Clan when their leader dies. Our code dictates that law- and the code was thought up by living cats, not StarClan. They're bound by our code just as we are."

"But don't you see how wrong that is?" Swallowflight cried. "They have no power! They have to live by an outdated code, too! It's all wrong and messed up- every bit of it!"

The deputy opened her eyes, staring into Swallowflight's with a gaze so intense the warrior had to look away. "It's not all wrong, Swallowflight," she meowed. "The code has good points. We should protect kits, whether or not they're from our Clan. We should feed elders and kits before ourselves. How can you say those rules are messed up?"

"They are!" Swallowflight hissed. "We shouldn't need rules to tell us it's wrong to hurt kits! We know that without the code! The old Clans were barbaric and backwards. They needed those rules, we don't."

"I want to know where these ideas are coming from," Ivypool meowed, her voice hardening. "Is this about Newtclaw? Tell me the truth!"

The warrior unsheathed her claws, digging them into the deep snow. "This is not about Newtclaw!" she wailed. "Why can't you just let that go?"

The deputy glanced toward the pine trees only a few tail-lengths away. "If this isn't about Newtclaw, then why did you run straight to the ShadowClan border?"

"I don't know!" Swallowflight cried. "Because I did!"

"You can't even come up with a good answer," the deputy growled. "I know this is about Newtclaw. You can't hide it."

Swallowflight shook her head angrily. "This isn't about Newtclaw!"

"Then what is it?" Ivypool hissed.

"It's about my father!" the warrior cried. Immediately she regretted her outburst. Of course she had ran to the ShadowClan border because she wanted to see Newtclaw. Of course she still loved him. It was her father that had convinced her it okay for them to be together, but still…she didn't want her Clan knowing he visited her dreams!

The deputy's eyes widened, clearly surprised about the answer. "Onestar?" she gasped. "How is this about him? You've never even met him!"

_You're wrong about that! _Swallowflight thought. She shifted her paws nervously. "I…um…I don't think he should have been sent to the Dark Forest."

"How would you know he's in the Dark Forest?" Ivypool mewed. She stared at the black she-cat for a long moment. Suddenly her eyes widened, realizing what must be happening. "You're not…you're not seeing him in your dreams, are you?"

"So what if I am?" Swallowflight meowed. "He's my father. He wanted to get to know me, and I wanted to get to know him."

The deputy flicked her tail nervously, not sure how to respond to the warrior. "Onestar is in the Dark Forest because while he was alive he did terrible things. Hasn't Nightcloud told you how he made her a prisoner? He allowed for her to very nearly be killed. Because of him both Breezepelt and Eaglekit are dead. Your brothers are dead because of him!"

"That's a lie!" Swallowflight hissed. "He's told me the truth! He said Nightcloud didn't want us kits. That she tricked him into thinking she loved him! He only wanted to be a good father and when my mother ran away he only wanted to get us back! Onestar wanted to be a good father and Nightcloud wouldn't let him!"

Ivypool's eyes widened. "Well, now I know why you haven't been speaking to your mother." She snorted, shaking her head. "Don't you think if what Onestar was telling you is true then he'd be in StarClan? If he'd done nothing wrong then he would not have been sent to the Dark Forest!"

"StarClan makes mistakes!" Swallowflight growled. "They do it all the time. My father should be in StarClan."

"You're being lied to, Swallowflight," the deputy meowed. "Don't listen to him. He's steering you wrong."

The warrior shook her head. "No, it's all of you who are steering me wrong. He's made me realize the truth about StarClan and the code. It all makes sense now."

Ivypool stared at the warrior for a long moment. After a long hesitation, she sighed and stood up. "Come on," she meowed quietly. "Let's go back to camp."

"What are you going to do with me?" Swallowflight asked, preparing for the punishment that was sure to follow- a punishment she knew she didn't deserve.

"Nothing," the deputy sighed. "I have a feeling we're going to be having a long conversation with Bramblestar…"


	21. Chapter 21

_**(A/N: I know it's been two weeks, but hey, two weeks is less than six months. Sorry about that. I got sick and staring at a Word document just didn't sound like much fun...**_

_**Anyway, I really like this chapter. The whole Onestar matter probably won't be resolved at the end of the story. I'm thinking I should use him in the next installment. I have big plans for Swallowflight...big plans.)**_

Chapter 21

"Streamflower, Applekit's sick," Lilyheart mewed anxiously, pushing through the entrance of the medicine cats' den.

The tabby she-cat jerked her head up, turning away from her herb store to look at the queen. "Applekit too?" she sighed. "Ravenkit has whitecough and now Applekit?"

Lilyheart shifted her paws. "Applekit's nose is runny, she's coughing, and her fur is burning up even though she says she's freezing."

"Bring her over here," Streamflower demanded. "Let's keep her away from Brackenkit so he doesn't get sick as well."

The queen nodded. "Alright. I'll be right back with her."

Streamflower watched as Lilyheart turned around to leave the den. Sighing, the young medicine cat wondered how many cats were going to get whitecough- or worse- this leaf-bare. Ravenkit had been the first cat to move into the medicine den, but he wasn't alone for long. Maplepaw and Mousewhisker were lying in nests next to the black kit, trying to sleep in between bouts of coughing. Leaf-bare had only just begun, and already three cats had whitecough. This was not looking good.

"Berrynose and Tawnyheart are coughing now," a low voice grumbled as a gray tabby tom padded into the den, his voice muffled as his mouth was full of lavender and feverfew.

"Lilyheart says Applekit is sick, too," Streamflower informed Jayfeather. "She just went to go get her."

Jayfeather dropped his herbs, shaking his head. "Two kits? We need to get Applekit out of the den before Sunblaze's kits catch something. Being less than a moon old, they'll be the most susceptible to illness."

"I know," the tabby she-cat mewed worriedly. Sher opened her mouth to add something, but before she could say another word, Lilyheart padded back into the den carrying a large white kit.

The tabby-and-white queen dropped Applekit into an empty nest next to Ravenkit. "They were supposed to become apprentices this month," Lilyheart mewed. "What if they don't live to-"

"Don't say that," Jayfeather meowed, cutting her off. "Applekit and Ravenkit will be just fine in no time."

Lilyheart did not look so sure. "I'd be okay if their ceremony had to be delayed, but if it had to be canceled altogether…"

"They'll live," Streamflower assured her. "It's only whitecough, and we caught it in plenty of time. We can stuff Ravenkit and Applekit full of herbs before greencough has a chance to settle in."

"I hope so," the queen fretted. "This is my first litter, you know. I just want to see my kits grow up."

Jayfeather shredded bits of feverfew into a pulp, sneezing as the sharp scent hit his nose. "They will, I promise. Streamflower and I know what to do. They're in great paws."

Lilyheart sighed. "I know they are. Thank you, Jayfeather."

"Go see Brackenkit," Streamflower suggested. "He's going to be lonely without his littermates."

"Okay," the queen mewed. "But I'll be back to check on my kits."

Lilyheart sent one last look to her two sick kits before turning away, her tail dragging low behind her.

"You should take a break," Jayfeather meowed once the queen was out of earshot. "You've been tending to Ravenkit, Maplepaw, and Mousewhisker all day. Go get some fresh-kill."

Streamflower shook her head. "I have a lot to do. I was thinking about fetching some coltsfoot and maybe some poppy seeds since we're getting low."

Now it was Jayfeather's turn to shake his head. "It will do me no good if my partner works herself sick. You need to eat. Go grab a robin, talk to Nightcloud and Swallowflight for a while, and come back when the sun begins to set."

"Are you sure you'll be alright without me?" Streamflower asked.

"I'll be fine," Jayfeather meowed. "I can hear your stomach growling. Just go eat and come back later, okay?"

The she-cat sighed. "Okay, but if anyone else gets sick I'm coming right back."

She turned and pushed through the lichen barrier that kept wind out of the den. Her paws crunched through the thick snow as left the warmth of the cave. It was windy, and the breeze ruffled her fur, chilling her to the bone. _No wonder so many cats are getting sick!_ she thought. _It is absolutely freezing!_

Crunching her way to the tiny fresh-kill pile, Streamflower noticed the black pelt of her sister nosing through the meager pile. Swallowflight's pelt was fluffed up against the cold, and Streamflower could see her shaking as she searched for something good to eat.

"You cold, too?" the tabby asked, approaching the fresh-kill pile.

"I feel frozen to the bone," Swallowflight puffed, grabbing a skinny mouse. "And there's not enough food to eat."

Streamflower stared at the pile, seeing how skinny everything was. She selected a small robin, but there was not much to choose from. "Haven't any hunting patrols been out?" she asked.

"I just got back from one," Swallowflight mewed. "I'm the one who caught that robin. Unfortunately one robin and one vole aren't going to feed the Clan. The two mice here were caught yesterday."

"Ivypool should be sending more patrols out," the medicine cat mewed.

The black warrior shrugged. "She has a lot to deal with right now. She's been in talking with Bramblestar all day, and she spent most of yesterday talking to him, too."

Streamflower narrowed her eyes. "Why?"

"About me, I suppose."

"Ivypool has more to deal with than you," the tabby reminded her. "Bramblestar's really old. What if…"

Swallowflight's eyes widened. "Have you or Jayfeather checked on him lately?"

Streamflower shook her head. "I've been busy with Ravenkit, Maplepaw, and Mousewhisker. And Brindlepaw, too, of course. I finally put her to work sorting herbs, since she can do that by scent. I've been too busy to even eat!"

"What about Jayfeather?" Swallowflight asked. "What's he been doing?"

"Nothing but collecting catmint, feverfew, and lavender- the essentials for whitecough and greencough," Streamflower replied. "We've been going through them so fast that one of us has to collect more every day."

"Maybe someone should check on Bramblestar," the black warrior mewed. "If he's been talking to Ivypool this long and it isn't about me…then maybe he's preparing for her to take over the Clan. Is he on his last life?"

Streamflower shifted her paws. "Well, he's not on his first. Maybe I should go and see-"

"Streamflower! Streamflower come quick!" a yowl sounded from the other side of camp.

The tabby swung her head around to see a ginger tom racing toward her, his eyes wide with fright.

"Sunblaze?" she mewed. "What's wrong?"

Sunblaze skidded to a halt, spraying snow out from underneath him. "Darkkit's not moving!"

"What?" Streamflower gasped. "What happened?"

The warrior shook his head. "I only left them for a little while. I went on a hunting patrol to try and find more fresh-kill. When I got back Darkkit was stiff. He feels frozen solid and his eyes won't open!"

The tabby felt a tremor of fear pulse through her. "Okay, I'm coming," she meowed.

Sunblaze nodded and pelted back toward the nursery, Streamflower hard on his paws. Pushing her way inside, Streamflower saw Lilyheart in one nest, her tail wrapped protectively around Brackenkit. Tawnyheart was huddled in her nest with Hawkkit and Goldenkit, a sorrowful look on her face.

"I'm so sorry!" the dark tabby queen wailed. "They were so quiet! Every time I checked on them I could see them breathing. I thought Darkkit was asleep!"

Streamflower stepped into the nest that contained Sunblaze's kits. Thrushkit, Cloudkit, and Rosekit were pressed up against each other, looking frightened. The darkest kit was lying still on the moss, his little eyes closed. The medicine cat pressed her nose to his side. There was no heartbeat.

"I'm sorry, Sunblaze," she mewed quietly. "There's nothing I can do. He's gone."

"He can't be!" the ginger tom wailed. "He was alive this morning! I only left for a little while. He can't have died in such a little amount of time."

Streamflower shook her head sadly. "I'm afraid it's possible. I'm so sorry, Sunblaze."

He stared at the medicine cat for a long moment, and then whipped his head around to face the dark tabby queen. "This is all your fault!" he snarled. "I trusted them with you! I trusted my sister to keep them safe and you let my son die!"

"I thought he was sleeping!" Tawnyheart cried. "He was still alive when I checked them!"

"He was freezing!" Sunblaze hissed. "Did you not see him shake? Could you not keep him warm?"

Streamflower pushed her way between the fighting siblings. "Calm down, Sunblaze," she meowed gently. "Fighting won't bring Darkkit back."

"But it's her fault he's dead!" Sunblaze meowed. "She let him freeze to death!"

The medicine cat closed her eyes for a long moment. "We don't know that for sure. He might have been sick and hadn't shown any symptoms yet. He was the weakest kit in your litter. Maybe he simply was not strong enough to survive."

Sunblaze stared at her, unsheathing his claws and digging them into the moss. "But…I lost him…I lost my kit…"

"I know," Streamflower mewed. "It's sad. It's not fair. I know you've already lost a lot, but you still have three kits who need you. Be there for them now."

The ginger tom nodded. "I will. And I swear I am not leaving their side!"


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Clouds covered the night sky, blocking the moon from shining down on the ThunderClan camp. Leaving the clearing in almost complete darkness, the air felt icy and pierced through the fur of the cats gathered around the center of camp.

Swallowflight stared at the sight before her, sadness pulsing through her. A line of bodies were arranged in the clearing. The tabby-striped body of Birchfall lay on one end, with Dovewing and Ivypool sitting near his frozen body. Beside him was the slender body of Leafpool, curled up in a ball to appear as if she were sleeping. The two elders had been forced to retire after last leaf-bare's greencough outbreak had weakened their chests. Now even a simple case of whitecough had proved too much for them to bare. Beside Leafpool were two kits. Lilyheart and Snowtail sat beside their son's body, quietly grieving for Ravenkit's loss. Sunblaze was crouched beside Cloudkit, emitted low cries as he buried his nose in his son's fur. Tawnyheart and Squirrelflight sat beside him, murmuring comforting words to the grief-stricken tom.

The black warrior wondered briefly why Squirrelflight was sitting by Cloudkit and not her sister. With a pang, Swallowflight remembered that Sunblaze was the ginger she-cat's son, so Cloudkit was the kit of her kit. Squirrelflight was trying to put aside her own grief to comfort her son, who had lost two kits in just a quarter moon.

"It isn't fair, is it?" a low voice meowed from beside Swallowflight, jerking her from her thoughts.

"No," she replied. "Sunblaze has lost so much. First Blue-eye, then Darkkit, and now Cloudkit."

The gray tom sitting beside her shook his head sadly. "How could StarClan do this to him? Haven't they taken away enough already?"

Swallowflight sent a glance toward Stormpelt, her tail flicking. "How could StarClan do anything?" she growled. "They have no power."

Stormpelt raised his eyes, looking at the she-cat in surprise. "Don't say that!" he meowed. "They watch over us and-"

"They don't do anything," Swallowflight hissed. "If they were so powerful they would have been able to save Blue-eye and the kits. Instead we have a tom who has lost three of his family in under a moon."

"That's why I would never want my kits born at the beginning of leaf-bare," the tom mewed, changing the subject.

Swallowflight snorted. "Expecting kits, are you?"

Stormpelt shook his head. "No, I'm just saying. When I have kits I want them born at the very end of leaf-bare, right when the air is beginning to warm up. Then they'll be almost three seasons old by the next leaf-bare. They'll be strong enough to survive whitecough and greencough then."

"That's smart," the black she-cat mewed.

The gray tom glanced over at her. "Do you think you'll ever have kits?"

Swallowflight shook her head decisively. "Absolutely not. It's not like their father would be able to be a part of their lives because of the stupid warrior code, and I wouldn't want to raise them without him."

"I didn't mean to suggest Newtclaw would be the father," Stormpelt meowed. "There are toms in ThunderClan who like you, you know."

"Ha!" she laughed harshly. "Seriously, Stormpelt? None of the toms in this Clan like me. Almost all of them still think I'm in love with Newtclaw."

Stormpelt narrowed his eyes, flicking his tail back and forth. "You must be blind, Swallowflight. I can name one tom right now that that absolutely no doubt likes you and has been trying to make that obvious since he was an apprentice."

Swallowflight stood up, shaking the snow out of her pelt. "I am not going to listen to this. I know you have a crush on me. When is it going to get through to you that I don't like you? At least Dustwhisker finally realized Streamflower doesn't like him. He's moved on to Maplepaw. Why don't you do the same? Brindlepaw's a nice she-cat."

"I don't like Brindlepaw," Stormpelt hissed. "I like you."

The black warrior snorted. "Well, too bad," she growled. "I don't like you. Now if you'll excuse me I'm going to talk to someone else- someone whom I don't currently want to claw!"

Shaking her head, she stalked away from the gray tom. Glancing around camp, she realized there were three cats missing from the clearing. Her leader was nowhere to be seen. Jayfeather and Streamflower were also absent from this night of grieving. Confused, the black she-cat spied her mother sitting by Leafpool. The older warrior was grieving for her former enemy-turned friend.

She padded over to Nightcloud, sitting down beside the black she-cat. "Mama, where's Streamflower?" she whispered.

Nightcloud glanced up at her daughter. "Don't you know?" she asked. "Bramblestar has greencough. He went out on that patrol two days ago and started coughing. According to your sister, it doesn't look good."

"He's that sick?" Swallowflight gasped.

"Squirrelflight and Ivypool both told him not to go on patrol," Nightcloud meowed. "He said with so many cats sick not enough were going on hunting patrols. He caught a sparrow and a shrew, but now Jayfeather and your sister are really worried."

Swallowflight glanced over by Birchfall. Ivypool was still sitting beside her father, but the warrior noticed she occasionally glanced up toward the leader's den, worry showing in her blue eyes. Turning her head, Swallowflight focused on Squirrelflight, now feeling extremely sorry for the ginger she-cat. She wondered how torn Squirrelflight must feel. With her mate sick and her son grieving, it would be hard to know who to be with.

"I can't believe this leaf-bare," she mewed quietly.

"Neither can I," Nightcloud murmured. "I didn't think anything could be worse than last leaf-bare, but I think I might be wrong."

Swallowflight opened her mouth to reply, but before she could Jayfeather and Streamflower padded out of Bramblestar's den, standing on the High Ledge.

"Cats of ThunderClan," Jayfeather called loudly, "gather around the High Ledge."

Due to the grieving going on down below, almost everyone was already there. Swallowflight stared up at the gray medicine cat, trying to read his facial expression, but Jayfeather still looked just as serious as always.

Taking a deep breath, Streamflower opened her mouth to address the Clan. "Bramblestar is dead!"


	23. Chapter 23

_**(A/N: Yes, I know it's been almost three weeks. Sorry! Time just keeps slipping away from me. In better news, I finished writing SH3 today. There will be one more chapter after this one. I'll post it probably sometime within the next couple days. Then I'm going to have to take a couple weeks off. This coming week I not only have my full-time job and my school work to do, but I'm working childcare for a large play my church does and have to be there every night for a week. After that I'm going to Disneyworld for Spring Break, so I won't be home to write. Other than that, when I get back I'll start on SH4, which will be the last installment of this mini-series. I'm starting to think up titles, but nothing's clicking yet.)**_

Chapter 23

Streamflower sat in a corner of the nursery, watching Rosekit tumble over her brother, emitting high pitched squeaks of excitement.

"Your kits look healthy now, Sunblaze," she mewed. "I think they'll live."

The ginger tom watched the tiny kits worriedly. "But there's still infection in camp. They could still catch something."

The medicine cat shook her head. "The worst of it is over. Hazelleaf and Cinderheart left the medicine cats' den this morning, and they were the last two in there. I think we're going to be in the clear now."

"What about Lilyheart's kits, though?" Sunblaze asked. "I head Brackenkit cough this morning."

"He was choking on a vole," Streamflower mewed. "He took a big bite and it got stuck in his throat. He's fine now. Besides, Ivypool said when both kits are healthy she's making them apprentices. It going to be one of the first things she does after getting back from the Moonpool."

Sunblaze glanced toward Lilyheart's empty nest. She and her two remaining kits were outside the den, enjoying some fresh air. "Has Ivypool come back yet?"

"No, but she didn't leave until late yesterday," Streamflower mewed. "She wanted to make sure all the dead were buried before she left."

"It'll just about be moonhigh tonight when she gets back," the ginger tom meowed. "She won't have much time to think about who she's going to appoint as deputy."

A dark brown tabby she-cat pushed her way into the nursery. "She could appoint me!" Tawnyheart mewed.

"Your kits are just now four moons old," Sunblaze meowed. "She's not going to appoint a queen as her deputy. Besides, you haven't been a warrior for long. There are plenty of experienced warriors to choose from."

Streamflower nodded. "She'll probably ask if Squirrelflight wants to be deputy again, if I had to guess. If Squirrelflight thinks she's to old then I could see Lionblaze or maybe Cinderheart becoming deputy."

Tawnyheart shook her head. "Lionblaze is so overconfident! I couldn't bear with him being deputy."

"He'd be better than Berrynose!" Sunblaze purred.

The medicine cat let out a quiet mroww of laughter. It was good to see Sunblaze look happy for once. After the death of his second kit Streamflower was sure that the tom would never be happy again. Now that his two living kits seemed healthy and he had his sister to keep his spirits up, the tom actually looked relaxed.

Streamflower dipped her head to the two cats and backed out of the nursery. With Jayfeather gone with Ivypool, she was the sole medicine cat in ThunderClan and had other cats to check up on. She gaze across the camp, searching for the cats who had recently gotten over their bouts of greencough and whitecough. Rosepetal and Cinderheart were choosing prey from the small fresh-kill pile, their appetites having returned. Mousewhisker and Molewhisker were laying on the smooth gray stones, warming themselves as the sun poked through the clouds, casting rays down into the center of camp. The sounds of coughing and sneezing had died down quite a bit in the last few days, and Streamflower was sure the worst of the sickness was over for the season.

Trotting toward the medicine den, Streamflower thought she might see if Brindlepaw needed someone to talk to. The she-cat had stayed in the elders' den while Streamflower and Jayfeather were tending to the sick and had enjoyed having some cats to talk to. Now she was back in the medicine cats' den and Streamflower figured she must be feeling bored and lonely without having others around.

Before she reached the small cave, a black she-cat raced up to here. "Hey, Streamflower!" the she-cat meowed. "I need to talk to you!"

"Sure, Nightcloud," the tabby she-cat purred, noting that her mother looked strong and healthy. Out of the many cats who'd been sick recently, Nightcloud had managed to avoid illness.

"I wanted to ask you about your sister," Nightcloud meowed, getting right to the subject.

A feeling of dread pulsed through Streamflower. What had Swallowflight done now?

The black warrior flicked her tail over her daughter's ear. "Don't look so worried. It's nothing bad this time."

"Then what is it?" Streamflower asked. "If she hasn't done anything wrong, then she must have done something excellent. Caught more prey than any other warrior? Chased a hungry fox out of the territory?"

"No need to sound so bitter," Nightcloud meowed. "I wanted to ask if you'd noticed she's been spending a lot of time with Stormpelt recently."

"I've noticed Stormpelt's been spending a lot of time with her," the tabby replied. "I don't know how much she's enjoyed his company, though."

The warrior narrowed her eyes. "Well, I've been watching them. In the past three days every patrol she's gone on Stormpelt's gone with her. They've done border patrols, hunting patrols, and even gone hunting just by themselves sometimes. "

Streamflower snorted. "You know Swallowflight's always looking for more to do for the Clan. Ever since her whole problem with you-know-who she's been doing extra patrols."

"But not with a tom!" Nightcloud meowed. "I think there might be love in the air for those two!"

"Yeah, right," the tabby she-cat laughed. "My sister and Stormpelt? I find that highly unlikely."

Nightcloud narrowed her eyes. "You haven't noticed, then? I know you don't spend a lot of time with Swallowflight anymore, but surely you've noticed…"

"Noticed what?" Streamflower asked.

"It's leaf-bare," the warrior meowed. "Don't you think your sister looks a little too round for this season? It's not like there's much prey to eat. Unless she's been eating on patrol- which I doubt- then there's another more likely reason."

The tabby blinked. "You are not suggesting…but she doesn't…"

Nightcloud raised her head triumphantly. "I knew it! Stormpelt's liked her since they were kits! I just knew once she stopped seeing that ShadowClan tom she'd realize there was a perfectly good tom in ThunderClan!"

Before Streamflower could reply, a yowl sounded from the entrance to the camp. She turned and saw Rowanfur, who was guarding the entrance at the time, standing up to greet the cats padding through the gorse barrier. A dark gray tabby tom and a silver-and-white she-cat entered the camp together, their heads raised high.

"Oh, they're back!" Nightcloud exclaimed. "I didn't think they'd been here until the sun started setting!"

"They must not have run in to any trouble," Streamflower meowed, watching the silver-and-white she-cat pad through the camp and leap up onto the High Ledge.

"All cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath High Ledge for a Clan meeting!" the new leader called, not wasting any time.

Streamflower nodded toward her mother. "I guess we better see what Ivystar has to say."

Nightcloud nodded. "I hope she makes Lilyheart's kits apprentices! If either of them trip me one more time…"

Ivystar waited until the ThunderClan cats were sitting beneath the Ledge, staring up at their new leader expectantly. "Cats of ThunderClan," she meowed in a loud, clear voice, "StarClan has named me as your leader."

The Clan burst into loud cheers. "Ivystar! Ivystar!" The silver-and-white she-cat was a popular member of the Clan and they were pleased to see her succeed Bramblestar.

"I am proud to have been accepted as your leader," the she-cat went on. "We will miss Bramblestar for the rest of our lives and will remember him as a brave leader who always wanted the best for his Clan. I hope to fill his pawsteps and be a worthy successor."

Streamflower nodded wisely. Ivystar was calm, caring, and a deep thinker. She's be able to come up with solutions to tough issues and get her Clan through any problems they might face. The medicine cat had not doubts that the new leader would prove to be successful.

Ivystar paused, looking down on her Clanmates. "I have been thinking about who our new deputy should be. I have chosen an experienced warrior who has proven time and time again that they will always put their Clan's needs before their own and this cat is a quick thinker and able to command those around them. I have no doubt that this cat will prove to be an excellent deputy for ThunderClan."

Nightcloud and Streamflower exchanged glances, not sure who their new leader was alluding to.

"I say these words before StarClan, so that they may hear and approve of my choice," Ivystar meowed. "Poppyfrost will be the new deputy of ThunderClan."

Streamflower swung her head around, searching for the tortoiseshell she-cat. The warrior's amber eyes were wide with surprise, clearly shocked to be chosen.

Poppyfrost stood up slowly, her eyes sweeping across the camp as she looked at her fellow Clanmates. "Cats of ThunderClan, I am shocked and honored to be chosen as your deputy. I never expected this, but I promise I will try and be the best deputy I can be for our Clan."

"Poppyfrost! Poppyfrost!" the Clan cheered. Berrynose, the she-cat's mate, was cheering the loudest of all.

Streamflower nodded with approval. The tortoiseshell she-cat was experienced and mild-mannered, but a rational-thinker who would complement Ivystar. The new leader had chosen well.


	24. Chapter 24

_**(A/N: Here it is! On literally the one year anniversary of me starting this story, I post the final chapter! I swear I didn't plan that. Anyway, this ending won't really tie up lose ends, because I mean to do that in the fourth and final installment. You'll notice the central conflict in this story is not resolved at all (because Onestar's a jerk, that's why. I need him to continue being a jerk.) I've already gotten four chapters of the next story written, but don't know when it'll get posted yet. I still haven't decided on a title. If you have any ideas, pm me and I can give you a rough plot. I'm really stuck on the title. It needs to be something other than "Safe Haven 4".)**_

Chapter 24

"Who do you think will be chosen to mentor Applekit and Brackenkit?" Stormpelt asked, licking a ruffled patch of gray fur.

Swallowflight shook her head. "I have no idea. Probably some cats who have mentored before."

"She has to let the younger warriors mentor the apprentices, too," the tom meowed. "We can't get experience as mentors if we aren't given the chance."

The black warrior yawned, feeling drained. She'd been out late last night, visiting Newtclaw on the ShadowClan border and hadn't gotten back to camp until the first rays of sunlight were beginning to appear in the distance. She'd barely gotten any sleep and wished she could stay in her nest a while longer.

"I think Berrynose will get an apprentice," Stormpelt went on. "It'll be him and Dovewing, mark my words. Ivystar will of course give one to her sister and Poppyfrost will argue in favor of her mate, of course."

"Berrynose just mentored Brindlepaw," Swallowflight mewed. "He won't get another one so soon."

The gray tom shrugged. "He didn't get to finish her training. Poppyfrost will want to give him another chance."

A loud yowl sounded from outside the warriors' den, but through the have branches the voice sounded muffled. A tabby head poked in, looking for any warriors still sleeping.

"Get up!" Hollyfrost ordered. "Ivystar is making Lilyheart's kits apprentices!"

Swallowflight groaned and stretched out in her nest. She was too tired to get up. In fact, even when she hadn't been out visiting Newtclaw or seeing Onestar in her dreams she still felt tired. She wondered if she as coming down with something and that was making her so tired. She'd even been nauseous in the mornings, as well. She decided to have a word with Jayfeather after the naming ceremony.

"Come on, Swallowflight," Stormpelt meowed. "We'd better get going."

She nodded, watching the tom stand up and pad out of the den. She stood up slowly, arching her back as she stretched. With a sigh, she followed her friend out into the camp, dragging her paws laboriously.

Lilyheart and Snowtail were sitting at the base of the High Ledge, looking on proudly as their two kits stared up at Ivystar. Applekit's white pelt shone brightly under the morning sun as the kit sat still, a serious expression on her face. Brackenkit's golden pelt also sparkled, but unlike his sister the tom was wiggling with excitement.

Ivystar's blue eyes shone brightly as she stared down at her Clanmates. "This is an exciting day for two of our kits. Their ceremony was delayed due to greencough and they've reached their seventh moon already, but now that they are strong and healthy they may take their places as apprentices of ThunderClan."

Brackenkit bounced on his paws, barely able to contain himself. Swallowflight let out a quiet mroww of laughter, wondering if she'd been this excited on the day she became an apprentice. Cherryfall had been her mentor, and the ginger she-cat had proved to be an excellent teacher for the young, boisterous black she-cat.

"Hazelleaf, you have not yet had an apprentice," Ivystar meowed, "and yet you excel at your warrior duties and act with an air of an older warrior. I hope you will prove to be a fine mentor for Brackenpaw."

The ginger tabby nodded seriously and padded up to greet her new apprentice. Brackenpaw bounced up to her, squealing with delight. Hazelleaf boxed his ears, trying to correct his behavior, but Swallowflight could tell it was gentle and that the young warrior was amused by the apprentice's confidence. Swallowflight had never liked Hazelleaf, but she wondered if now that the ginger she-cat was older she would forget the petty squabbles they'd had as apprentices.

Ivystar paused as she waited for Hazelleaf to pad away with Brackenpaw before carrying on the ceremony. She searched the camp, and Swallowflight wondered if she'd detected some nervousness in the leader's eyes.

"Nightcloud, you came to us from WindClan and have shown yourself to be completely loyal to our Clan, proving that your birth Clan is no longer you're home. You were an experienced warrior when you came to us and had already mentored an apprentice. It is now time that ThunderClan shows that we truly accept you as one of our own. I hope you will pass on your courage and determination to Applepaw."

Swallowflight's eyes widened. Her mother was getting an apprentice? That was so exciting! She glanced toward the black she-cat and saw her padding toward the High Ledge, her green eyes shining joyfully as she met her new apprentice.

Applepaw padded up to Nightcloud slowly, dipping her head respectfully to her new mentor. Swallowflight knew how much this must mean to her mother, being trusted with mentoring a ThunderClan apprentice.

"I am pleased to see ThunderClan recovering from greencough," Ivystar meowed. "We lost some much loved cats, but we are not finished. ThunderClan continues to grow strong. We have a nursery with strong, healthy kits and an apprentices' den filled with young cats eager to learn the ways of a warrior. I look forward to watching our young cats grow and am excited to see how our youngest apprentices learn from their new mentors."

The Clan cheered for the new apprentices. "Brackenpaw! Applepaw!"

Swallowflight glanced around the camp, noticing that everyone looked pleased with the choice of mentors. ThunderClan had come to love Nightcloud and had accepted her as a Clanmate long before today, but now that she was trusted with an apprentice the warrior would be able to feel like she truly was a part of their Clan.

The meeting began to break up soon after the cheers died down. Poppyfrost was sweeping through the camp quickly, assigning cats to patrols. Swallowflight watched as the tortoiseshell cat took on her new role, and was pleasantly surprised to see how well Poppyfrost was adjusting to her new role. The tortoiseshell she-cat approached her, ready to announce the black she-cat's assignments for the day.

"Swallowflight, I'd like you to go out on a hunting patrol with Mousewhisker, Sorrelcloud, and Dovewing," she meowed. "And this evening you can do the late border patrol with Bumblestripe and Blossomfall."

"Actually, could I sit out the hunting patrol?" Swallowflight asked. "I haven't been feeling well and was planning on talking to Jayfeather thins morning."

Poppyfrost nodded. "Oh, okay. I'll just send Stormpelt on the hunting patrol." She stared at Swallowflight for a long moment, narrowing her eyes. "I hope it's nothing serious," she mewed.

"I'm sure it's nothing," Swallowflight assured her. "Maybe I just ate a stale shrew."

The deputy nodded slowly. "I'm sure that's what it is…" She didn't sound sure.

Swallowflight turned away from Poppyfrost, ready to head to the medicine cats' den.

"Wait just a moment!" a voice meowed from beside her.

Stormpelt was flicking his tail with annoyance, staring at the black she-cat. "I know exactly what's going on!"

"What is it, then?" Swallowflight hissed. "You aren't a medicine cat. How would you even know?"

"Come and talk to me away from the others," Stormpelt ordered. He glanced around quickly before padding over the jagged rocks that jutted out from the camp walls.

Swallowflight sighed and quickly followed the tom, hoping no one was watching. She was supposed to be seeing Jayfeather right now!

"I know what's wrong with you!" Stormpelt meowed again once they were out of earshot.

"I probably ate a bad shrew," she meowed. "That one I had yesterday tasted kind of old."

The gray tom shook his head. "How can you not know? It's obvious! Half the Clan's already guessed!"

Swallowflight swallowed, feeling uncomfortable. She had already figured it out, but did not want to believe it.

Stormpelt went on. "Look, I know I'm not the father. Newtclaw is, isn't he?"

The black she-cat stared down at her paws, not really wanting to answer.

"Have you decided what you're going to tell the Clan?" he asked. "If you tell them you're still seeing Newtclaw they might exile you!"

"It's a queen's right to keep the father a secret," Swallowflight growled quietly.

Stormpelt snorted. "I know, but with your history if you don't name the father they're going to assume that's who it is. In this case, you probably should name the father."

"And who do think I'm going to name?" Swallowflight hissed, staring at the tom. "I don't want to be exiled! I want my kits raised in ThunderClan."

"Does Newtclaw even know?" Stormpelt asked.

The she-cat shook her head. "Not yet. I wasn't sure I wanted to believe it."

The tom narrowed his eyes thoughtfully. "Once he finds out, can he be trusted to keep a secret? Or will he fight for the kits like your father fought for you?"

"He won't fight," Swallowflight meowed. "We have talked about what might happen if I did ever have kits. We thought maybe I'd keep them until they're weaned and then he'd take half the litter to ShadowClan and I'd keep half the litter in ThunderClan."

"You'd split up you kits?" Stormpelt asked. "They'd never forgive you for that."

"They might," the black she-cat mewed uncertainly.

The gray tom shook his head slowly. "But you need to name a father before the kits are born. I know you will never love me like you love Newtclaw, but I've liked you for a season cycle. You haven't mentioned him in moons and most of the Clan will probably think I'm the father anyway. If you don't name a father, it may look kind of suspicious, so why not let the Clan think it's me? I kind of look like Newtclaw, so it could work."

"You want me to lie?" Swallowflight gasped. "Why?"

"Swallowflight, I love you," he mewed quietly. "You know that. I don't want to see you punished and I don't want anything to happen to your kits. They need a father. I would be more than happy to raise these kits as if they were my own. Please, Swallowflight, think of them. If ThunderClan believes I'm the father that they'll realize you can be trusted and the kits will have two loving parents to raise them."

"But what about Newtclaw?" Swallowflight asked. "I don't want him to miss getting to know his kits."

"Maybe when they're apprentices we could tell them the truth," Stormpelt asked. "I don't like the idea of hiding the truth from the kits either, but I want them and you to be safe. I love you and I will love these kits, even though they aren't mine."

Swallowflight stared at the tom, feeling torn. Was this the right thing to do? Newtclaw surely wouldn't want the kits when they aren't even weaned, so what harm could it do to them if Stormpelt wanted to act as the father until she and Newtclaw could figure out what to do.

"Alright, Stormpelt," she meowed. "I'll tell ThunderClan you're the father."

The gray tom's eyes brightened. "Excellent! I promise I'll be a good father to your kits, Swallowflight, and I swear, I will never tell anyone your secret. I will act as if these kits are truly mine until you decide what to do about Newtclaw."

"Thank you," the black she-cat mewed, feeling as if a heavy weight and been lifted off her shoulders.

Stormpelt touched her gently with his tail. "You can trust me, Swallowflight," he meowed. "I will always be here for you."


End file.
